Maximum Ride: The Test of Time
by Sinatae
Summary: Max has a new flock member, a girl who can't even remember her name. She's much older and has a strange connection to a German lab called Malticorp. There's something mysterious about her, something that could put the flock in danger.
1. Prologue Blood and Metal

**Prologue Blood and Metal**

There is no sound, no light nothing but darkness all around me. I'm in a cold and empty void. I feel weak and none of this seems real.

What is realty anyway? A realm created in our own twisted minds. I smile slightly at this. The world could have been a much better place. It is what you make it.

My fingers twitch slightly and I raise my arm to my head where a slow but steady pounding is resonating. It begins to ache painfully, and I raise my other arm to rest against the other side.

I lay there clutching my head remembering what an enigma the world is.

I shift uncomfortably, as the situation became more and more real.

Where am I?

I open my eyes slightly and quickly shut them again. What was once bathed in darkness is now surrounded by light. It is painful.

Inaudible voices echoed far away in the vastness and footsteps joined them becoming closer and closer before they stopped and stood in front of me.

I opened my eyes and used my arms to shield them against the penetrating light.

Before me stood the silhouette of a figure, I outstretched my hand towards her but instead my hand wrapped around cold steel; the bars of a cage.

"Who are you!?" I demanded my voice thin and cracked. I'm not sure she heard me.

"I'm am called the Director. Do you know why you are here?"

Behind her I could make out the silhouette of several more figures.

A question surfaced my mind. "Who am I?" I was barely able to choke out.

The women, the Director gave a slight sinister smile. "You are test subject, number 01 in the Angel Experiment."

Test subject!? I tried desperately, to sit up but my body wracked with pain and I was forced to lie back down again.

The Director smirked lightly, and people in the background began whispering inaudibly.

I gritted my teeth and moved my hand to my upper back where much of the pain was coming from but felt something else. It is stiff but soft like feathers. Slowly, I stretch the muscles I never knew I had.

Wings!


	2. Chapter 1 White Wings

**Chapter 1 White Wings**

That was two months ago…

It was also the last thing I can remember since waking up here; locked up in a cramped cage like an animal. I was huddled in a ball with my knees up to my chin. My wings flopped loosely against my back. Oh right… I guess I am an animal, a caged bird.

The scientists come now and then to take blood samples or knock me out with a sedative. I fought back of course but to no avail. I haven't eaten much and lack of exercise was making me increasingly weaker. I had lost hope of getting out of here on my own.

The room I reside in is always empty aside from medical equipment pushed up against the walls, and a menacing silver stainless steel operation table stationed in the middle of the room. I'm familiar with the technology, all to well.

Currently, I am the only living inhabitant in the room. I also wonder if I'm the only avian human recombinant. I pray that I am. I can't imagine an entire laboratory filled with children constantly undergoing experiments, and in the same hellish situation as me.

And where does the government stand in all of this? Regrettably, I can't even remember what continent I'm on. I am one mentally screwed up bird kid.

The door clicked opened and a young man with fine black hair walked in wheeling a cart. His hair is short in the back but his bangs stretch nearly over his eyes. His face is tight and expressionless like many of the other scientists but he isn't wearing a white coat like all the others do. Actually, I'm relieved, white walls, white ceiling you start going blind after a while and luckily he is dressed in black.

He strode over to my cage and lifted it and me with inhuman strength, then he plopped it down right onto the cart without flinching at all.

I see he remembered to take his steroid shot this morning. They sure come strong around here.

He opened the door and for the first time I was finally able to see what the facility looked like outside of the room.

Not that there is much to see.

The hallway stretched endlessly with labeled doors and the occasional window. Of course, they had to be pitch-black to go with the evil lab/prison theme. But even in jails they have windows.

As he pushed me through hall after hall, I counted the windows and noted the turns to try and make a mental map of the laboratory.

I also noticed that we didn't pass anyone. The halls are completely empty. It was me and him.

I stared at the man as he walked mechanically and his gaze locked straight ahead. He doesn't seem too interested in me.

I grabbed the bars and looked down at the lock, classical lock and key. I threw myself against side of the cage hoping to throw it off balance. It rattled and shook but the man grabbed it and steadied it, vanquishing my efforts to escape.

The man is looking at me now. I narrowed my eyes at his hand firmly grasping the cage as we continued to move to an undisclosed destination.

"What do you want with me?"

He didn't say anything.

Eventually, we stopped at some large double doors. There was a machine stationed off to the side and he slid a card through it before punching in a series of numbers.

I watched carefully, remembering _000119._

The door clicked and he slid it open carefully stepping aside to allow the first rays of sunlight to engulf me.

My eyes burned and I covered my face with my arm while he pushed the cart. After all this time my eyes couldn't adjust as easily as they once could.

When it stopped he was gone. I looked around hasty to take in my surroundings.

I was outside, surrounded by a towering and barbed wire fence. In the center of the field was a menacing looking maze with rusty metal walls, the horror movie kind.

My heart sunk when I saw the benches at the far end of the field. There, sat tortured and scared looking children.

A scientist walked to the front of my cage. He unlocked it and immediately I was dumped out; _literally_. I landed on the grass and before I could blink my hands were forced behind my back, bound in thick iron cuffs and a collar forced around my neck.

I was pulled to my feet and pushed toward the children who didn't give me a second glance.

They were crossed with many different animals including cats and reptiles. One boy had what looked like scales running down the side of his face.

There were so many and all so young. My worst fears had come true.

As I continued to survey the crowd and noticed I was the only one with my hands bound. I wonder why that is?

I spotted a young girl in the corner who looked to be only six or seven. Her wings are sheer white like mine and it seemed we're the only avian recombinants out here.

I walked over to the blond girl and sat beside her. She didn't look at me but continued to sulk.

"Hey, are you okay?" She raised her head and looked at me with red swollen blue eyes. Her face was covered with scratches; it looked like she had been in a fight not to long ago (which I wouldn't doubt considering the conditions of this place).

"I'm okay," she stuttered and rubbed her eyes sullenly.

I turned my attention to the menacing maze. Walls surrounded it and you couldn't see in, but at the starting point you could see what looked like wolf men prodding a feline hybrid into the maze.

"Werewolves?" I said in surprise.

"They're called Erasers," said the little girl. She gave questioning look as if I should know, and I probably should. My memory has been fuzzy lately.

_Amnesia._

I turned my attention back to maze where the big, furry, overgrown, but humanoid, wolves were laughing as they shocked the girl with a long stick. She let out a slight whimper before taking off. The maze floors appeared to be heated also. You could almost see the steam.

Just what are they doing? Trying to test physical ability, problem solving, and stress management all at once… These scientists are insane but that was pretty obvious anyway.

My hand fell to the collar around my neck. It was probably a tracer incase one of their 'beloved' experiments escaped.

Already my mind was racing. I've been locked up for too long and this little slip-up will be their last.

If I could just steal one of those shock sticks…

It won't be easy with my hands bound like this though. I gave them an enticing pull. I turned to the girl, maybe she could help.

"What's your name?" I asked her and immediately felt a pang of regret. What if she couldn't remember her name either?

"Its Angel," she smiled.

I relaxed a little and lowered my voice. "Angel, you want to get out of here right?" I said eyeing the lookout tower.

She jumped a little not expecting it but kept her eyes staring straight ahead, imitating me. She nodded her head slightly.

"But how? There's Erasers everywhere…" she whispered.

"That's why we need a distraction. Can you fly?"

"Yes, can you?"

I hesitated unfolding a wing slightly. "I'm not sure but it's a chance I'll have to take."

I looked to the others, the victims of torturous lab experiments that left them not even fully human. They don't deserve to be here but we wouldn't have a choice but to leave them behind. No one deserved to be here and that's why I need to escape… for them.

I made a promise to myself and turned back to Angel. "Okay, here's the plan."


	3. Chapter 2 The Maze

**Chapter 2 The Maze**

I was led away to the start of the maze with an Eraser on each arm.

The starting point had narrow walls on either side and with a big Eraser blocking the way out you couldn't escape.

"Get moving!" yelled one of them as he pushed me forward.

I stumbled onto the glowing red floor and braced myself for the pain, but the pain didn't come. I didn't feel a thing.

Despite this, I clenched my teeth and ran deeper into the maze leaving the Erasers suspecting nothing. They only continued to laugh.

When I was far enough I stopped and walked. I had to hand it to them. The scientists built this maze pretty well.

The maze seemed to be set up in a series of spiraling squares. When it seemed like you were on the right path you would a hit dead end and have to retrace your steps.

A maze like this could keep you going forever. My body ached thinking about those who weren't fast enough.

I continued making my way through the maze looking for a hiding place.

Above, I could see the scientists watching through a glass structure that protruded from the building, and suspended over the farthest reaches of the maze.

I began making my way towards it.

_Not all complicated problems have a complicated solution._

When I was directly beneath it, and out of sight I pulled at an especially corroded looking section of metal grating.

I could tell the maze was fairly old and some parts were rusty. I wasn't surprised that the grating I held was missing a screw.

Even so, loosening a metal grate with your hands bound isn't an easy task. I repositioned them and continued to heave until finally it came up with a snap.

I worked quickly and got on my stomach. This wasn't part of the plan but it sure is an advantage. I held the binding on wrists against the glowing wires, until it began glowing red hot as well.

There was a short, rigid pole in a corner and I went over to it. I ringed the band in-between it and my wrists before viciously pulling once more.

I could hear faint shouting outside the maze and I knew it was the distraction. I need to get out of here fast!

I used my feet as leverage against the wall and pulled furiously.

It stung as the band cut into my wrists but I ignored it and continued. Suddenly, my hands slipped out and the band clinked to the floor. I stumbled backward and breathed a sigh of relief, that thing was tough.

I inspected the damage. The cuts were deep and left bleeding scars around my wrists, but I don't have time to fix it.

I unfurled my wings as wide as I could along the maze walls and sucked in my breath. "Here goes." I flapped hard and leapt into the sky.

My wings billowed as they caught the wind and my long hair whipped in my face. My feet had left the ground but I wasn't falling.

A smile broke my lips for the first time since I can remember. "I can fly!"


	4. Chapter 3 Salvation

**Chapter 3 Salvation**

I hovered and looked down from a bird eye's view of the maze.

The other experiments were running around wild and the Eraser's were scrambling after them.

The scientists were out as well trying to take control of the situation.

I spotted Angel waving and smiling up at me, and I flashed her a thumbs up, "Good work Angel!"

I saw a lone Eraser and angled my wings and body downwards towards him swooping into an angled free fall.

I lost my balance and arced too low running smack dab into his chest. He fell, and I flipped over him on my back.

"Oof" I gasped. I managed to knock the air out of both us. Flying will take some getting used to.

I regained my composure and reached over to pick up the shock stick he had dropped.

"Stop right there!" It was the Director. She ran on to the field coming towards me.

I cursed under my breath and grabbed the stick quickly going airborne.

"No stop!" I heard her yell.

Angel appeared next to me and as we approached the gate a transformer box came into view. Perfect!

I flipped the switch thrust the shock stick it. My arms began to tingle with electricity and I quickly let go.

Sparks and fire erupted from it as Angel and I flew away, it exploded. The air was thick with smoke.

I looked at my collar. The red light on had blinked off. I glanced at Angel, so did hers.

The Director was erratic as she scrambled and yelled to the Erasers to come after us. I could only laugh as we sailed over the gates into the desert.

I looked behind me. The children were watching us as we escaped with solemn eyes.

"I'll be back!" I yelled behind me, more as a threat than anything else.

I don't remember what lies beyond the gates but whatever it is, it was better than here. I was headed toward my salvation.

SC

SC

SC

We were outside the gates but not home free just yet.

The Erasers ran in a yellow cloud of dust as they chased us on the ground. They looked like ants from up here but they stayed in hot pursuit with no sign of slowing down. And boy is there a lot of them!

I cursed silently as the strong wind pulled my right wing behind me. I swerved in a half circle before I was able to correct it. There was something wrong with it that resulted in a clumsy and bumpy ride. I know my flying skills aren't that bad.

Angel was far ahead and I realized she had to constantly stop to let me catch up.

I'm slowing us down.

"We have to lose them," I yelled.

"There's a cactus forest just ahead." Angel yelled barely audible in the thrashing wind. "Maybe we can lose them there. They're really big and slow."

Really? That made me feel _much_ better.

We reached the cacti and the Erasers dodged around them. Some of them collided but there were more to take their place.

This isn't working.

I need to come up with something fast.

The wind picked up suddenly and I looked to see helicopters hovering on our trail.

Like NOW!

I scanned the area below us. We're in a desert there's no place to hide.

The helicopter loomed ever closer and I could see the matted gray fur of an Eraser. He was armed either with a tranquilizer gun or a pistol. I couldn't tell which. Either way, there's no way I'm letting myself be captured again. I'd rather die.

That's it!

"Angel! Go on without me!"

"What?" She turned her head to look at me and I could see horror written all over her face.

"Just do it!"

"But what about you?"

"Trust me."

She threw on the speed hesitantly and disappeared into the distance.

That was my cue. I turned around toward the Erasers and flew in their direction, past them.

The group halted on the ground confused and fell over each other to turn around. The helicopter was slow on turns.

Now the wind was on my side. I poured on the speed like Angel had earlier and found flying much harder than expected. I wobbled in the air having no practice with balance.

Once the Erasers and helicopter had recuperated I did it again but angled myself downward in a slow arc.

I flew close to the helicopter, and out of the corner of my eye, could see the Eraser with his gun poised.

He fell backward when the machine maneuvered around.

"Don't you know how to fly that thing!?" he yelled.

Slowly I began to descend to as the chopper neared. They were paying to much attention keeping up with me and not where they were headed. I flew over a mountain range. The Erasers were nowhere in sight now. They weren't too familiar with the terrain it seemed.

I peeked over my shoulder seeing the chopper right where I wanted it. Okay, time to end this!

I flew into the base of a high section of rock, force landing, and braced myself against the ravening pain. I pulled my wings in feeling every torn feather. I knew it would hurt.

My hair went into my eyes as the Erasers, now realizing their mistake, had flown too low and tried to maneuver up and out of the way of the tall spire. It scratched the bottom of the chopper with a metallic screech and arcing up only drew it deeper.

The chopper fell further away in a storm of metal. I curled up in the crevice covering my head as it spread across the landscape.

When the flurry ended I peeked out of my hole. My plan had worked but it was still to close for comfort.

I pulled myself into the shadows as two Erasers stumbled out.

"Idiot! You were supposed to be watching where you were going!"

"I was. That thing kept circling around how am I supposed to keep up with it?"

Thing? Is that what they're calling me now?

I sneaked away in the middle of their quarrel and took flight once again when I was far enough away.

I sighed; I just hope Angel is okay.


	5. Chapter 4 A Lonely Night

**Chapter 4 A Lonely Night (Angel's POV)**

I flew until my wings began to ache and settled down in a forest. I sat in a tree trying to catch my breath. My throat was dry and my chest was tight. I had been flying all day. I must have gone really far.

I rested my chin on my knees feeling my face grew hot. I wish the Flock were here. I held back my tears. What would Max do in a situation like this?

I remembered the girl who had helped me escape. Just who was she? Her emotions felt sad and overbearing, but there was something else…

I buried my face in my hands. I didn't want to leave but what could I do? There were to many Erasers.

I was guilty. Max would never leave someone behind. What would happen if she were hurt or taken back to the School? It's all my fault.

The tears were falling now. They stung my cheeks where small cuts and scrape were, and I wiped them away regrettably.

I wrapped my wings around me against the cold and lay down in the crook of the tree. I wouldn't go to sleep only rest for a little while.

Night soon fell and I watched the shadows the trees created. I jumped every now and then thinking it was an Eraser, but realized it was just a branch moving stubbornly in the wind. I settled with closing my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

_**01's POV**_

I was surprised to be out of the desert and walking in a forest. Flying does take you far in a short amount of time, like an airplane, but slower… and smaller, and I don't drop bombs.

I wandered through the forest wondering where Angel had gone. I thought she'd gotten away but I couldn't be sure.

I looked up at the branches. Did avian hybrids sleep in trees like birds? It doesn't look very comfortable.

My wrists were throbbing and I sat down at the base of a tree to doctor them. I had forgotten about the pain earlier, when the adrenaline of the chase was running through my veins. Now I was empty and sore all over.

I tore off a few strips of cloth from the bottoms of my sweat pants and wrapped them around my wrists like gauze. It was unorthodox but it would have to do.

I got up and continued through the forest. I could see pretty well in the dark but it was also much more dangerous at night. I wonder what kind of creatures lives in these woods; what other experiments the lab had created. They couldn't keep them all contained. Who knows what they had roaming around the area. Who knows how big the lab really is.

Suddenly, I heard a rustle of leaves above me. I looked up and saw a figure in one of the trees.

"Angel?" I said cautiously.

I flew up and saw that it was indeed Angel. She had fallen asleep and was tossing and turning in her 'nest'.

I chuckled and carefully sat down on a large branch next to her so I wouldn't wake her.

I decided to keep watch until the sun came up. It would give me time to think up a plan.

As I was sitting I slowly began to notice how dark it was. It was pitch black with the only light coming from the moon. Which wasn't helping.

I tried not to think about it but every sound I heard made me flinch, and every shadow sent my heart racing. I forced myself to keep put and reminded myself it was only a branch or an owl, not something that was going to kill me.

I rubbed my eyes out of frustration. It's going to be a long night.


	6. Chapter 5 Dawn

**Chapter 5 Dawn  
**

Angel aroused at early dawn. She was slow to get up and didn't register I was sitting there at first.

"Good morning," I welcomed her.

Before I could blink she leapt at me, wrapping me in hug and almost knocking us both out of the tree.

"You made it! I'm so sorry I left. I didn't know what to do! Are you okay?" She spoke rapidly, obviously worried about me.

"I'm okay." I hid my hands behind my back nervously so she couldn't see. It's not her fault. "How are you? Did any Erasers come after you?"

She looked down solemnly. "No, they didn't follow me. I think they all went after you. There must have been at least 50 of them how did you escape?"

"I found a hiding place and they gave up searching for me." I lied.

"Oh …I'm glad you're okay." She said timidly.

I stood up and walked to edge of the branch. "Come on we should go. It's not safe to stay here too long."

Angel joined me at the edge of the branch. "Go where?"

"Anywhere but here, we need to distance ourselves as far from that place as possible."

She nodded. With that I leapt from the branch and took off heading north. I had no idea where we were but for now it seemed good enough.

It felt good to be free at last. I relished in the wind and let myself be carried in it. There was still that emptiness though. Everything seemed so unreal, like I had just stepped into another world. I was giving myself a headache trying to make sense of it.

Suddenly, a strange sound erupted next to me. I looked over to glance at Angel.

"Sorry." she said her face red with embarrassment. "That was my stomach."

I chuckled. "Once, we find a town we can stop for something to eat."

We flew for sometime before we finally spotted a small country house. There were no cars parked in front and there were no lights on inside. I assumed it was empty. Angel agreed and we flew to the backyard.

I attempted to land but inside ran head first into the side of a shed. "Oww..." I moaned rubbing the area where a bruise was sure to form.

"Are you alright?" Angel was still in the air, now holding in her insides and desperately trying to keep herself from laughing.

I picked myself up rubbing my head in agony. "I'm fine, thank you very much."

Angel landed gracefully and I scowled in jealously. "You need to teach me how to land sometime."

She smiled, still chuckling. "Sure."

We entered the house through the backdoor, which was conveniently left unlocked. "Anyone there?" I shouted.

Angel looked to me and shook her head. No answer, I guess no one was home.

We had apparently entered into the kitchen. The interior of the home was decorated with oak wood cabinets and counters, which were lined with kitchen appliances many of which I didn't recognize.

Angel ran over to the counter where a series of jars were placed. "Cookies!" She squealed.

"You can't eat just cookies, we're on the run. You need something healthier."

I rummaged through a cupboard and found a box of pasta. "Here." I said throwing the box to her.

"Macaroni?" She turned the box over to peer at the directions. "But I don't know how to cook."

I shrugged "Neither do I, find something else than but no cookies."

"Aww," she wined and went to search the fridge.

_What I'm the bad guy now? _So what?

I wandered over to front door and turned the knob, it was unlocked too. Have the people not heard of security? I looked around and gathered up some empty coffee cans in the corner. I placed them outside around the door and locked it so in case the owners came back I would hear them.

One of the things I've learned so far is that I have super sonic hearing. The swish sounds of those helicopters blades are still ringing in my ears.

When I came back Angel was sitting at the dining room table spooning some yogurt. The table in front of her was piled high with food and I stared in surprise.

"Hungry?" I asked.

"Mhmm," she replied between mouthfuls. "We eat a lot."

I didn't bother asking her what _we_ meant. I had other things on my mind. "I'll be back soon, I'm going out to the shed to see if I can find something to pry these collars off."

She nodded "Do you want something to eat first?"

"I'm not hungry." I replied and escaped outside.

SC

SC

SC

The shed was fairly small with little room to squeeze into, it was also dim. The one window was covered with stacked boxes. Tools hung on the back wall in an orderly fashion. Their dull and rusty appearance provided they were cared for at one time, but now have been long since forgotten. A thick layer of dust coated everything.

I rummaged through the drawers on a workstation until I found a rounded stick like tool with a flat end.

"This may work." I said, examining the flat head screwdriver.

As I turned to leave I noticed something lying on the counter and cautiously approached it.

"A handgun? Who would lay something like this here where someone could get to it?"

I slowly picked it up. It was cool and slightly heavy, yet it seemed familiar somehow.

Had I held one of these before?

I shook the thought away and investigated the chamber. It had two bullets left and the safety wasn't on. Either the owner of the gun was a careless idiot or it had been fired recently. There wasn't any gunpowder residue so I doubted it.

I switched the safety back on and tucked it away for safekeeping, just in case. I hoped I wouldn't have to use it but if things got bad…you never know. I gathered the tools and hurried back inside.

Angel greeted me at the door. In her hands were two backpacks. "I thought we could use some supplies," she suggested.

I nodded, took one, and slung it over my shoulder. "Pack some food and water I'll see if I can find some clothes."

"Okay." She replied and scurried to cupboards.

I went upstairs to the bedroom and began searching. The pink walls told me it was a girl's room and there were two beds. Who ever lived here probably shared a room.

I opened the closet and found a T-shirt and some denim shorts about Angel's size. I took a spare outfit just incase. There wasn't anything larger so I went to the dresser drawers.

Sure, it's stealing but necessity is necessary, and something tells me there aren't people just waiting to hand out free clothes to two bird kids.

The clothes were folded neatly in the drawers. Each garment assigned to it's own specific place. It killed me to mess it up.

I found a tank top and some blue jeans that looked to be almost my size. I held them up against my body. I have no idea what size I wear.

I packed them away and walked over to the window where there was another but smaller dresser.

It was then that I noticed the calendar. It hung on the wall almost out of sight. I pushed the lamp that hid it aside and stared in horror at what I saw. There in big red print was the year 2000.

"What's going on?" Upon closer inspection I realized that the text was also in English. No way, but it was 1960. How could it be 2000? Not only that but I must be in the United States. That would explain why everything is different, high tech. I didn't want to admit it before, but… have I been asleep for 40 years?


	7. Chapter 6 To The Rescue

**Chapter 6 To the Rescue!**

"You've lost it!" The Director yelled at the top of her lungs. Her voice echoed off the walls of her office and she slammed her fist onto the desk in front of her further magnifying the sound.

The head Eraser flinched, his ears ringing with the intensity of the sound. Even in his human form his hearing was seven times that of an ordinary human's. The Director used this as an unconscious form of torture. All the Erasers knew of her venting.

"Must I remind you of what happened to the Malticorp lab?" She exclaimed.

"No mam," the Eraser choked. "I will not fail you again."

"I sure hope not unless you value your life. 01 is extremely dangerous and it is top priority she be recaptured, understood!?" the Director was furious. The Erasers had only heard rumors, but she'd seen what really happened. She knew all about her. There was no way to make them understand that unless they were to see it themselves. Then they'd really be motivated.

"Understood." The Eraser choked once more. He seemed to shrink under her gaze.

The Director stormed out of her office and stomped down the hall. "Who's bright idea was it to let 01 outside anyway?" she ranted. "Not only did 01 escape so did 11. If I find the man responsible for this I'll kill him with my own two hands."

She continued down the hall until suddenly an alarm beeped. The lights went dim, emitting a soft red hue throughout the facility.

"What is it now?"

She heard shouting and scientists began spilling into to the hallway. She pushed past them to the far wall and tried the door. It was locked.

"Lockdown? Did another of the experiments escape?" She became increasingly angry.

She moved over slid down the panel on the card machine revealing a small keyboard. She typed in her passkey and tried the door again. It opened and she backed through it discreetly.

When she entered the room there was a small sound, much like a cat. It startled her but before she could turn around. A loud boom erupted and she was thrown against the opposite wall. She collapsed to the floor and plaster fell painfully on top of her.

"Yeah!" Sounded muffled shouts from what felt like across the room.

"Whatever happened to the sneaking in plan?" said a female voice.

"Forget it, that was way cool!"

The Director pushed away the rubble just in time to see five figures emerging from a hole in the wall.

She recognized them as experiments 5-10. Jeb had taken them to the mountains to live with him and study them in a more "natural" environment. She knew it was a bad idea. They had developed more resistance outside of Itex.

The dark one, number 6, walked over and grabbed her by her shirt collar. "Where's Angel?" he demanded. He partially lifted her off the floor and to his eye level. Her head throbbed and she felt something warm slide down her cheek.

Fang, she looked behind his shoulder to see the rest of the gang, the "Flock" they called it. "I knew I should've killed you when I had the chance." she spat.

He raised an eyebrow. The Flock hadn't met her before, but she knew them like the back of her hand.

Maximum stood in the background trained to do exactly what she was created for, to fight.

Abruptly, the Erasers barged in. Already, poised for attack showing their canine teeth and claws raised.

"Shit" he mumbled. He dragged the Director outside with him and grabbed an arm. Max grabbed the other and they flew upwards until the school was just another speck on the ground.

"I hope you like pancakes because you're going to be one unless you tell us where Angel is," said the blond.

The Director looked down. "Are you going to become murders?" she taunted, "just so you can save a little girl? Would she really want to be saved knowing what you did?"

"Don't get cocky," shouted Fang.

The Director laughed and gestured below them to the pack of Erasers fighting the rest of the Flock. "Here they come," she smirked evilly.

Fang swore and began to descend Max in tow. They couldn't fight them like this.

"Max!" called Iggy. He and Gazzy's arms were loaded with homemade bombs. Nudge was at their side. "We'll take care of them!"

"Thanks!" she called back.

She and Fang dropped the Director a couple of feet from the ground and she howled from in pain.

Fang roughly picked her up and pushed her against what was left of the brick wall. "Tell us where she is before we drop you from a higher distance."

The Director coughed, spitting up blood. She had enough of this. "She's… not here."

"What do you mean she's not here?"

"She escaped," she gasped.

Fang looked to Max and she shrugged. "How?"

"01 helped her escape. She's probably killed her by now."

"Who's 01?"

The Director shook her head. "We don't know," she said gravelly.

He slammed her once more into the wall, and she clenched her teeth. "What do you mean you don't know?"

Suddenly, a large bomb exploded overhead and the building began to shake. White coats carrying their precious research papers were frantically running from the building.

"U and A everyone!" shouted Max.


	8. Chapter 7 Child

**Chapter 7 Child  
**

I widened my eyes in shock and immediately began trembling in panic. "40? How can I be 40? " Shakily I brought my fingers to my face and felt around for wrinkles, crow's feet, any sign of age. Nothing, nothing! It doesn't make sense! I couldn't have been asleep for 40 years right? I still have be to aging right?

Suddenly, I heard a faint whimper and a whispering voice. I stopped, and immediately felt the calm flow of sanity rush back to me. What was I doing just now? Panicking about my age? What difference does that make when you're a mutant bird kid on the run?

I looked around for the source of the sound, but as I was crazy, I probably just imagined it.

I breathed a sigh of relief and stood up. Just then, another faint whimper and a shush reached my ears. I looked to the bed. This house can't be totally empty could it? I cautiously crept to the edge of the blue covers and raised them. I was right! Underneath were two girls. They looked normal, with no mutant appendages. I guess I've just found the owners.

"Are you alright?" I asked cautiously, not sure what to think of my recent find.

The older girl raised her finger to her lips. "Shh…"

She had her arm wrapped protectively over the younger girl, probably her sister.

I lowered my voice. "What's going on?"

A loud crash and clang abruptly sounded from downstairs. That was the cans!

"Ahhh!" And that was Angel!

I lowered the blanket and ran downstairs.

Pain suddenly exploded in my head when I felt myself slam into the wall just as I had set foot halfway down the stairs. A furry paw was held against my neck, and I clenched my teeth in anticipation.

_Erasers._

"Nice trick rabbit but it's not to going to get you out of this one," said the rough voice.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Angel being held back by two of them. They had her by the arms and she was kicking and punching to get free.

I followed her example and tried to do the same. Only, I couldn't move! I was frozen in place wedged between plaster and wood, and it only got worse as I felt myself being pushed further. My head was spinning from pain.

"Watch it," I heard one of them say, "Director will get angry again if you break the merchandise."

"Yeah, yeah," my captor replied nonchalantly. I was yanked from the wall and thrown to the floor.

He cracked his knuckles. "I have personal score to settle with this one."

That was enough. I took careful survey of the room and noticed that there were at least five of them. Probably waiting for us from the looks of it, and certainly more on the way. I remembered the gun and mentally hit myself. How could I have been so careless?

"Hey! Found two more up here," called an Eraser from the top of the stairs. "What should we do with them?"

"Kill them," he said slowly. "I want it to watch them die." He laughed evilly and yanked me up by the hair.

"I'm not an it!" I yelled to them feverishly. "I'm more human than you'll ever be!" I pulled out my own gun and held it to his chest.

Everyone backed away just then, and I saw the Erasers recoil and let go of Angel.

_Apparently they're loyal enough to protect their leader. _I thought to myself.

One of them stepped forward, and I immediately pushed the gun closer to his chest.

"Don't move unless you want him dead," I yelled to them.

He laughed manically and swiftly swiped the gun out of my hands. It slid to the other side of the room and out of reach. "You think that will scare me!? I know all of your little tricks. I've read your file."

"File? What-"

The Eraser leaped forward and grabbed me by my throat, pulling me down in one hard tug. I struggled vigorously as he tightened his grip around my neck. I couldn't breath.

"Your greatest weakness is sympathy." He tightened his group even harder; crushing whatever air I had left out of my lungs. My fingernails dug into his arms but he only held me tighter, not even wavering under my painful struggle. "Until you learn to do without it you'll never win!"

I felt my body weakening as my whole world started to go black. I dropped my hands to my sides, not even having enough strength to fight anymore.

Bang!

I felt the Eraser release me as the deafening sound rung through my ears. I coughed, and turned to face the ground, when I noticed the blood. It felt warm and slippery beneath my fingers and I turned around in panic. Angel. She dropped the gun in sheer terror and backed up against the wall. The Eraser laid dead on the floor, with a bullet through his head.

"Angel?" I croaked.

One of the Erasers raced over, slung him over his shoulder, and raced outside. The others followed in tow. One stopped to glance at me and growl before her ran out the door with them.

Everything fell silent.

Neither of us moved as I just sat there stunned. What should I say? She just killed him. She did it to save me but… I looked up the whimpering young girl in the corner. She didn't mean too.

The Erasers are victims too; victims of this grotesque experiment that created them, and her even.

I gathered Angel in my arms and held her tightly, as she cried and trembled. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I whispered. "I'm sorry…"

I felt my own cheeks stain with tears.

I didn't care about the panicked footsteps coming down the stairs.

I didn't care about the shocked gasps or that my wings were out in plain sight.

All I cared about now was the child in my arms.


	9. Chapter 8 Encounters

**Chapter 8 Encounters**

"What were those things?" Questioned the girls from earlier. We were sitting in the living room our faces still red from all of the weeping. I really didn't feel like talking right now but pondering minds want to know and they deserved too. We did just break into their house after all.

"They're called Erasers." I said slowly. "They were here to capture us."

Everyone was still shaken from the experience, but despite this, I couldn't help but feel embarrassed. After all, we did come into their house, and eat half of their food.

Next time, I'll do more than yell down a hallway.

"Capture you?" The older girl, who looked to be about 20, motioned to our wings. "Your not bad guys are you?" Her amber hair was short and tidy. Not messy and dirty like Angel and I.

I shook my head. "It's complicated."

Her sister, which somewhat resembled an older version of Angel was seated next to me with huge eyes. "Are they real?" She touched my wing gently and pulled away.

"Why did they attack us too then?" The older sister still looked nervous and fidgeted slightly as she rubbed her bruise arm.

"You were in the way," said Angel quietly.

"Sorry," I apologized. "We didn't mean to get you mixed up in all of this."

"No it's alright. I know you didn't intend to. After all, we thought you were burglars, so we hid underneath the bed."

I didn't bother saying anything more on that.

She held out her hand. "My name is Jannifer, Jan for short. What's yours?"

I stared at her hand. "Interesting name." I said, trying to avoid the question. I still didn't remember my own.

Her hand fell back to her side. I could tell she was confused.

"I'm Sara, " said the younger girl. She outstretched her hand in a similar gesture to Angel.

She took it. "I'm Angel. Nice to meet you," she said quietly.

"So why are you here?" asked Jan, getting right down to business.

"We, uh…"

"Did you escape from a top secret lab or something where did they did experiments with human DNA?" She said rapidly.

Angel and I stared at her in disbelief. Yeah, pretty much…

She chuckled at our responses. "I've seen a lot of sci-fi movies."

Well she is taking this rather… well.

"Yeah, she can be a real freak sometimes," Sara mocked.

Jan glared and pushed her away. "Are there more of you?"

I nodded, "Unfortunately."

"It must be so cool to have wings. I mean, you can fly and it must be really beautiful." She took a minute to envision it.

"I've never really thought about it but it is kind of beautiful," I told her, reflecting on my own flights, well Angel's. I looked like a bird with a broken wing in the air.

She stood up and put her hands on her hips. "I guess you need a place to stay," she grinned widely and I raised an eyebrow.

"Actually, we were just leaving." I raised my hands in defense, but she drawled on.

"Maybe you should get some sleep first," she stammered, "I mean, uhh... before you leave."

"No we really should be leaving." I stood up and so did Angel.

"Wait, at least take some supplies first, I can tell your injured."

I glanced at Angel and hid my hands. The expression on her face told me she wasn't too happy about it, about hiding things and all.

"Maybe I can help get those collars off too," she pointed at the thick metal around my neck.

Okay… I felt the hair on the back of my neck raise. Why does she want us to stay so bad?

"Maybe they should take a bath too," said Sara. "You guys stink."

"Sara!" yelled Jan.

"Come on." Sara got up from the couch and took Angel by the arm. "The bath is this way." She led her down the hall and into another room out of sight.

"I'll get you and Angel some clothes." She started to go upstairs but stopped a moment to inspect the hole in the wall. "Help yourself to the kitchen!" she yelled, disregarding it.

I think Angel had already helped herself.

I sighed and stared at my makeshift bandaged wrists. They were spotted with black dots of blood here and there but didn't look too bad. They should of stopped bleeding by now, if I only my wounds would heal faster. Oh, the perks of having strange blood. When are they going to make super healing band aides?

I went to the other bathroom and searched the shelves for some basic medical supplies. I was able to find gauze and antiseptic, which made me feel a little bit better, so I placed them on the counter in front of me. I turned on the water and unwrapped my wrists. They were swollen but not infected at least. I held them under the water for a while and stared into the mirror.

I can't remember what I looked like. It's just one of those things. It felt like my memory had been shattered into thousands of pieces. The basics such as my name and these wings were lost, but others like the very deep past remained intact. I wish I had I forgotten them instead. I felt tears well up again and brushed them away.

I stared back at the mirror. How could it have been 40 years when it felt like only one? My eyes are dark blue and distant, my skin is so pale from the lack of sunlight, and my long white hair… I look like a corpse.

I leaned against the sink and placed my chin on my arms. I wonder if it because of all the experiments they had done on me. The wings….could they be the reason too, for my memory loss, my crappy healing abilities, and my strange blood? Oh, and my white hair? I partially outstretched my right wing; sheer white, like Angel's. This would be so much easier if I knew who I was.

At least… a name.

If I just knew my name then I could have something to call myself. The scientists called me 01 but they also treated me like a dog; worst than a dog. How could a number become a name?

Jan appeared in the doorway. "Hey, I found some clothes, and your uh… backpack." She threw it over to me hesitantly, and I caught with a blush. Oh yeah, we also took her backpack. "I packed it with some other stuff too," she said unusually gleeful.

"Thanks."

"No prob." She quickly turned around and left, swinging her short brown hair behind her.

As I watched her go I couldn't help but release a sigh of jealously. I wish I were as care free as her. Not having to worry about the Erasers or where our next meal came from was a complete dream to me. I guess some things do come at a price: wings for freedom.

I turned back to the sink and quickly re-dressed my hands. I put on the clothes I had found earlier and walked out to meet the others.

Angel and Sara were sitting on the living room floor laughing and talking silently to each other as Sara held her up her dolls to show to her.

I reminded myself that Angel is only a little girl and felt a little upbeat at the smile on her face. I'm glad she's feeling better. I noticed once again that Jan was looking at the hole in the wall and walked over.

"What happened here?" she asked.

"An Eraser… slammed my head into the wall," I said slowly.

"Geez, did it hurt?" She turned to look at me and pushed some hair out of the way. "You do have a small bruise on your forehead."

"Not too bad…"

"Not too bad. You left a hole in the wall!"

"Sorry."

She heaved a sigh. "Don't worry about it. I'll have it fixed by the time my parents come home." She held up a toolbox and set it down on the floor next to her.

"I've been meaning to ask you… where are your parents?" I asked reluctantly.

"Oh, they're both very busy," she said rummaging through the toolbox. "My mom and dad both run a family owned business. So they come home late at night. We mostly take care of ourselves."

"Oh."

She stopped and looked over at me. I was sitting at the bottom of the stairs my knees to my chin. "You don't… have parents… do you?" she asked.

"I did… once."


	10. Chapter 9 I The Clock Starts Ticking

**Chapter 9 I. (The Clock Starts Ticking)**

We were on the run again. Jannifer had given us enough supplies to last us about two weeks. She had also managed to help us take off the collars. What a relief that was.

I still wasn't sure where we were headed though and I stared at the map to get an idea. "I think we're in the south of this state on the west coast. I pointed to it.

Turns out I don't remember anything about geography at all. I questioned if I had known anything about it in the first place. Eventually, I gave the map to Angel.

"That's California we're headed east." She looked to me. "Can you read?"

"Uh… well…" I looked down. "Not… really."

"Okay, I vote I hold the map for now on," she teased.

I nodded. I wonder where she learned to read.

Angel flew on ahead. "I need to find Max," she said suddenly.

I stopped mid-flight.

Angel halted and turned around. "What's wrong?"

Max… I've heard that name before. "Who's… ugh" A sharp pain hit me and I clutched my head.

"Are you alright?" I could barely hear her.

My ears were ringing and I felt my temperature skyrocket.

"_Has it become clear yet?_" echoed a voice in the back of my head. That wasn't me.

"Hey!" I made out Angel's voice full of concern. It screamed in my ears and my head felt like it was about to split open.

My vision tunneled. Like they say when you're about to die before everything turned black.

Then suddenly, images flashed of needles, and tubes; experiments. Painful screams rang out, as I lay strapped to a metal table. I realized they were my own.

It was like watching a horror film in fast-forward and the memories flooded back in painful throbs.

A bright light flashed in my eyes, and the thick smell of blood was everywhere. In my line of vision were dark figures, scientists, stood all around me.

"What is it?" said a voice.

"I've never seen anything like it before."

"It looks human… but."

Angel's POV

"Are you alright?" I asked cautiously. She continued to hover in the air. Her eyes were closed and her hair covered her face. Her emotions were all mixed up. Scared, happy, confused, it's all too weird, like two different people.

"I'm fine," she said suddenly and soared past me.

I was taken back in surprise. One minute she was holding her head in pain the next she was flying ahead much faster than before. More than anything it surprised me that she hadn't fallen out of the sky. Her wings seemed to skip a few beats.

"Hey! You're headed the wrong way!" I called out to her but she didn't turn around. She continued flying and I flapped my wings to catch up with her.

"Hey," I grabbed her arm. She stopped this time and turned around. "What's wrong?" I asked her sympathetically.

She smiled slightly. "Sorry, which way was it again?" I was the one who forgot to flap this time. She acted like nothing happened.

"It's South right?" She flew in the direction and left me hovering there stricken in disbelief. Just who is she, really?

SC  
SC

SC

"Maybe we should stop for a bit?"

"No, I'm fine I've already told you."

I heaved a sighed. We've been fighting like this for two hours now. I'm worried about her. After all that's happened there's reason too. I could still sense of wave of uneasiness and fear emanating from her, but she's as stubborn as Max.

I sighed again. I'm worrying about her just as she worries about me.

In one swift motion I moved in front of her and hovered with my hands firmly placed on my hips. "We stop now!" I demanded.

"Alright, alright," she said in annoyed tone and pulled in her wings for a landing.

We landed in a field and I walked over to sit at the base of a tree and ushered for her to join me.

"It's getting dark soon. You should probably get some sleep." I opened my backpack and took out a bottle of water. I held it out to her "Here."

She took it hesitantly, and I sensed sadness again. "What's wrong?"

"You shouldn't worry about me," she said slowly.

"Why not we're friends aren't we?" I leaned against the tree and reminisced about all that happened. "We helped each other escape from the school, and you fought off the Erasers so I can get away. If that's not friendship I don't know what is."

She was silent for some time after that before she nodded slightly. "You once said that you needed to find Max. Who is she?"

"Max is our Flock leader. She's 14."

"Your Flock?" She seemed a bit taken back by this.

"Mhmm, there are six of us Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, and me. We're all avian hybrids like you are."

"So, did you all escape from the lab before?"

"No, we call it the school. Jeb saved us from there four years ago. I was only a baby back then so I don't remember too well."

The sky was filled with bright orange and yellow hues and there were no obstacles to block the view. You could see for miles. I remembered watching it with the flock in the mountains when we stilled lived with Jeb. They probably went to the school to save me. Oh, I hope they're all right.

The sky was filled with bright orange and yellow hues and there were no obstacles to block the view of the sunset. You could see for miles. I remembered watching it with the flock in the mountains when we stilled lived with Jeb. They probably went to the school to save me. Oh, I hope they're all right.

Then it hit me, if they came to rescue me from the school then that would mean we were headed the wrong way. We were flying away from them but the Erasers… they would find us if we went back. We can't stay in one place either.

I looked over to my friend who was going through her backpack looking for a flashlight probably.

Even after all this I still didn't know her name. I hadn't had the chance before and she seemed upset when Jannifer asked.

The last bit of light disappeared, and darkness fell over the field, all but the light from the girl's flashlight, which she seemed to hold protectively.

"Get some sleep I'm taking first watch."


	11. Chapter 10 I The Flock

**Chapter 10 The Flock (01's POV)**

The next day we arrived at an E-shaped house that Angel explained she and the Flock lived in. It was set at the edge of a cliff with a deck that hanged over the rocky surface, perfect for a lift off.

Angel ran inside and I followed cautiously. I wasn't sure what to expect, and I was afraid the Erasers might be near.

I stepped into a large, comfy living room. It was vast, fit for a large amount of people and their wings. A couch was centered in the room in front of a modern looking TV. I stared at it curiously. Where were the antennas?

"Max! Fang!" Angel called out. She ran from to room in search of them before giving up. She stood in front of me dejected, and disappointed.

"We'll find them," I offered half-heartedly. My hopes weren't high, and I suspected there were captured already.

"Max made a plan," she said slowly "to meet at the house if any of us were separated."

I nodded. I didn't want to dash her hopes, but I didn't want to stay long either. She was confident though. She stood still and firm with no sign of wavering. "So what do you suggest we do?"

She walked over to the couch and plopped down on the cushions. "We wait here," she crossed her arms, and seemed to pout, suspecting I would try to stop her I suppose.

Just then a low static voice sounded. Angel looked at me curiously and I pulled out a black box I had found earlier. A message crackled over the static. "Targets spotted 5-10 at coordinates (1542, 3463) moving in for arrest."

She looked at me in horror and snatched it away. "That's the Flock!" She said panicky, then in a lower tone. "Your not working for them are you..?"

"No, I found that," I pointed to it. "It fell off one of the Erasers in Jan's house. Anyway it means they're in trouble."

She nodded and we were quickly airborne. I had seen the same numbers on the map. Despite my lack of knowledge in geography, I have a way with numbers.

We sped through the terrain. I made sure to stay above the trees, in fear of getting my wings caught. It was faster this way after all.

I had taken the walkie-talkie with me. "This is squad 8" said the voice. "Reque-"

"Leave them alone!" I threw the walkie-talkie hitting a man square in the back of the head. He turned around dizzy. I was expecting an Eraser.

"Max!" shouted Angel.

A girl with dirty blond hair, in midst of a battle with an Eraser turned around. She looked to be only 14. "Angel!" she shouted back. Angel landed and they ran to each other, but an Eraser dropped between them. He snarled and leapt at Angel.

Out of the blue, a tall, slim teenager swooped down with a kick that could break limbs. The Eraser let out a choked cry and stumbled unconscious.

"Iggy!"

He grinned and waved. "Hey, Ange!"

"Angel, oh my gosh! I haven't seen you in such a long time! When you weren't at the School I thought something bad had happened to you. I mean I knew you were okay… but everyone was so worried. What woul- "

"Nudge!" Another Eraser fell and a dark person with black hair and equally black wings hovered in the air. "We're in the middle of a battle here!"

"Oops, sorry Fang."

Six Erasers fled painfully, holding their noses from a seemingly innocent eight year. "Angel!" He cried.

"Whoa! Nice one Gazz!" Snickered Iggy.

"It's 01! Get it!" An Eraser shouted coming after me. I really am getting tired of this '_it_' stuff. I dodged and returned with a kick to the back.

Another one came at me, and this time I flew upwards and slammed my feet down on his head.

I noticed the others clapping their hands over the Eraser's ears and I did the same.

Before long, the battle was over, and everyone was breathing heavily. I landed away from everyone else.

Everyone surrounded Angel in a hug, and she smiled happily. Except for the dark one. I think his name was Fang.

"Are you 01?" he asked. He stood firm and his dark brown eyes stared at me menacingly.

"Who wants to know?"

"I do, who are you?" Fang was shouting now and everyone turned around to stare at us.

Angel ran over to my side. "She's my friend she helped me escape from the School."

"Wow! Really!? How did you did do it? Did one of the white coats help you out like Jeb did? I really miss Jeb. He was like a father to us…" Nudge ranted.

"Anyway, thanks for saving Angel." Max said stepping forward. I could tell she was leader. Even so, she seemed hesitant. Deciding whether to introduce herself I suppose.

I nodded.

"I'm Max, you've already met Angel." She motioned to the blind boy "That's Iggy, and the Gasman next to him."

"Gasman?"

She shuddered. "It's self explanatory."

"I'm Nudge!" shouted the African American girl.

"And that's… Fang." She glared at him and he glared back.

I still couldn't help but wonder why Max's name brought back memories the day before. I'm not having any flashbacks now. Though I am feeling a little tired.

"So what's your name?" asked Max.

And I am so tired of avoiding that question.

"I don't… have one…" As I said this, a feeling of nausea and dizziness washed over me. The whole world seemed to be spinning around me. My vision faded and finally I collapsed. I watched as the world faded until I returned to darkness once again. _I can't remember it anyway…_


	12. Chapter 11 Shadow

**Chapter 11 Shadow (Fang's POV)**

She doesn't seem as evil as that white coat made her sound. If Angel trusts her she can't be too bad.

She has wings just like us, but with other mutant characteristics, white hair, and pale skin. She looks to be about 16 or 17 making her the oldest of the group and we're considered ancient.

Max caught her just as she fell and lowered her to the ground. "She weighs nothing," she said, "And I thought we were light."

We managed to find some shade and laid her out on the ground, compensating a pillow for a backpack. Then we all crowed around, till Iggy pushed us away and began to check her over.

You may be wondering why a blind a guy is serving as our doctor. Well, he has sensitive fingers and can distinguish any injury and bruise with just a simple brush. He shrugged. "She just passed out from exhaustion, probably not used to fighting."

"Now that I think about it, I don't think she's slept in three days. I don't remember her ever eating either," Angel said concerned.

"Well that explains that."

Max picked up one of her bandaged hands and inspected her wrist. "I wonder if it could be blood loss too. She nicked her wrists pretty bad."

I leaned over to Angel. "Did you get anything from her?" I whispered.

She shook her head. "I can't read her mind at all. It's like there's a wall or something, it's really strong."

_Well, that's just great_. I thought irritated.

"I can feel her emotions though," she offered.

I nodded "What vibe do you get from her?"

"She's sad and confused most of the time… but there was that one time…" She looked up trying to remember.

I urged her to continue. "What happened?"

"Well we were flying, and she was suddenly clutching her head in pain or something. She started acting really weird after that, then like nothing happened.

"Weird? Like how?"

She shrugged. "I don't know it was like she was two different people."

Like two different people... multiple personalities?

"What else did you find?" I asked curiously.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Nothing else. As I said, I can't read her mind."

I stood back and leaned against the tree. _What could this mean?_

01's POV

Terrifying screams rang out among the passengers as the plane began to shake and unsteady. The floor tilted downward and oxygen masks dropped from above.

They gripped the edge of their seats preparing for the worst.

"The plane is losing altitude, prepare for crash landing!" yelled the pilot, who was quickly drowned out by the warning sirens.

The ground came closer and closer, "This is Flight #7 of the Delta Airlines, do you copy?" The co pilot was on the radio, trying to reach the airport. "Dammit, all systems are offline!"

"Brace for Impact!" The plane shook as he pulled back on the plane joystick in an attempt to slow it down, but it only continued to dip.

Buildings zipped by and a bridge came into view. People abandoned their cars and ran for their lives just as the plane crashed down to earth and then everything was engulfed in flames.

I gasped and threw myself forward while gripping my shoulders from the sudden sharp pain. Which seemed to dissipate immediately.

I turned my head to see the Flock staring at me with startled faces. One of them had his hands up in defense.

"Hey! You startled me!" shouted Iggy from where he had fallen backwards.

"Heh, sorry."

Gazzy was off to the side laughing his butt off. "What was that all about?" he gasped in between laughter.

"It's nothing… just a nightmare." _I think._

Max was kneeling next to me. "You were only down for ten minutes."

"It happens…" I said trying to laugh it off but only managing a weak chuckle.

Angel scurried over from beside Fang who was pretending to stare off into space. "Are you feeling better now?"

"Yeah, a little rest was all I needed."

"When was the last time you ate or slept?" asked Iggy.

Everyone turned their attention to me aside from Fang pretending not to care.

The last time I ate or slept... I thought back to the cage and white room. "Never mind," I replied weakly and stood up.

"You're from the school aren't you?" Max asked me.

I nodded.

"All this talks of food is making me hungry," Nudge said suddenly from where she knelt on the ground. She looked to Max painfully, holding her stomach.

"I'm getting hungry too," added Gazzy.

Max crossed her arms. "All right, except for one thing… we have no money."

"Well actually Jan gave us some." I went to my backpack pulled out the stack of money she gave us. "How much is it?"

Max took it and counted it. "Wow! Two hundred dollars! Who's Jan?"

"She's a girl we met on the way here. She gave us supplies and clothes," said Angel. "She's really nice."

Iggy slapped a high five with Gazzy. "Alright! Let's go eat!" They unfurled their wings and took off.

I was just about to follow them when Max stopped me. "Hey, are you okay to fly?"

"Sure, I'm used to it."

"That's not what I meant."

"Don't worry about me, you have more important things to attend to." I motioned to the waiting Flock above us.

"Alright," she sighed, "let's go."


	13. Chapter 12 What's in a Name

**Chapter 12 What's in a Name?**

We stopped behind what Nudge called a McDonalds, whatever that is.

Max and her flock had brought their own jackets to hide their wings. My wings were smaller and folded more evenly and flat against my back. All I had to do was hide them with my jacket. My long hair covered the wing slits.

"Maybe I should grow my hair long," commented Nudge. "Then I could decorate it all sorts of ways."

"I don't think we have time for that," said Max.

We went inside. It wasn't lunch hour so it was mostly empty. The tables were spread out in an orderly fashion and an M shaped arch decal decorated every window. The color theme was a grotesque yellow and red.

"May I take your order?" asked a young women at the counter.

Gazzy stood on his tiptoes to peer over the counter. "I'll take two big Macs with everything on it, a Snack Wrap, two fries, and a large Mountain Dew."

The women punched some keys into the register. "Is it for here or to go?"

"I want what he's having." Iggy interrupted.

"Uh… okay." She typed some more keys.

"Me too, plus a fudge sundae." Max added.

Nudge stared at the menu mouth watering. "Ooh! I want one too!"

The cashier continued to type in more things, obviously overwhelmed.

"Uh… that's three Big Macs, two Snack Wraps, two large fries, three large Mountain Dews… and two Fudge Sundaes. Will that be all?"

"No, that was three Snack Wraps." Max said.

"Nuh uh, it's six! I want two of them and two Quarter Pounders!"

"Nudge you can't have everything on the menu!"

By now, the cashier was distraught and had given up on keeping track of the orders.

"I'd like two Chicken Sandwiches, and a large French Fries. Angel smiled sweetly. "It's for here."

The woman glared over at Fang and I standing in the background.

"Do you want anything?" her voice was harsh.

"I'll just have what they're having." Fang glared back.

I shook my head. "I think I'll pass…"

The flock turned to her, "You don't want anything?"

"I lost my appetite a long time ago..." I couldn't help but say. It's the truth, the menu was atrocious! I shook my head.

"Are you all finished here!?" The cashier had finally lost her patience.

"Yup." The group nodded.

"That's 182 dollars and your tax is… I have no idea…" She rolled her eyes.

The flock handed her the money and the women called over the manager.

"What's the problem here?"

"Help me sort this out, these kids are crazy!"

Max's POV

While the flock restated their orders one by one, Fang gave me one of his 'we need to talk now!' looks.

I sighed, "Alright Fang." I turned to the flock. "You guys go ahead and find a place, I'll be right back."

I followed Fang outside. "What do you want?"

"Why are we helping that girl? We know nothing about her," Fang said outright.

I heaved a sigh. I knew this conversation was coming. "I know, but she's from he school. What are we supposed to do? She has nowhere to go."

"I'm not sure we can trust her," he looked through the glass door and to the Flock where they were seated.

"I know, but she saved Angel and incase you forgot, Angel can read minds. If something was up she would tell us."

"Actually, Angel told me she couldn't," he looked to me with seriousness and concern on his face. Usually, he was emotionless but lately it seems to be the opposite.

"What?" I've never heard of her being unable to read anyone's mind before. I remembered what the Whitecoat said. Something about probably having killed Angel already. Is she lying and trying to make us lose trust in her? She also said they didn't know who she was.

Is she really 01? The girl she was talking about?

"For all we know she could be a White Coat in disguise sent out to watch us," Fang shrugged.

"I doubt that though," it doesn't match up with what that woman said at the school. "Let's just keep an eye on her and watch out if she does anything."

"Ahh!" A loud shriek rang out from inside the restaurant. I could distinguish that voice from anywhere. It was Nudge. Before I could say or do anything however, Fang had already pushed me aside and bolted through the door.

I followed closely at his heels. Could Fang be right?

"OMG! YOU CAN HEAL!" Nudge squealed. "That's so awesome!"

01 was trying to cover her mouth to make her shut up, but Nudge kept resisting saying how cool it was.

"Shhh…Not so loud! We're in a public place!" She snapped at her.

They were squeezed into a booth at the far corner of the restaurant, near the back door. Everyone was making a full-blown effort to quiet Nudge. Fang and I looked on then came to join them.

"So what's all this about being able to heal?" I inquired, and Fang just crossed his arms.

She pointed to 01. "She can heal wounds!" She said quieter but still uncomfortably loud.

I looked down at her bandaged hands. "Right…"

"It's not like that…" she said slowly. "I can only heal other's wounds."

I blinked in surprise. "How?"

"Then can you heal mine?" Gazzy held out his hand where he had a two-day-old scar from where he had cut it on a branch.

"No."

"Aww, why not?" He pouted.

"It would hurt more now than when you first got it."

Iggy put down his cheeseburger. "How's that?" He asked being the doctor he is.

01 grabbed Gazzy's hand suddenly and he pulled it back moaning "Ow ow ow ow," he cradled it to his chest. "Hey wait… it doesn't hurt anymore," he pulled it back to look at it. The scar was perfectly healed. "How do you do that?"

"Beats me," She shrugged her shoulders and took a fry from Angel's plate.

Angel looked up at her. "That's great," she said smiling.

Nudge jumped out of her seat. "Hey, I know! Let's name her Heal! You don't have a name right?"

01 blushed slightly.

Iggy shrugged. "Sounds cool to me."

"I think it's a good name." Angel nodded.

I turned to 01. "Is that okay with you?"

"Sure, better than a number," she said her face red. It looked more normal that way.

"Yay! Welcome to the flock Heal!" Nudge exclaimed. You could hear her voice across the restaurant and I shushed her.

"Welcome to the flock," everyone recited but Fang of course.

"Uhh… thanks," she said her face as red as a strawberry now.

Fang grunted and rolled his eyes. I knew he wasn't happy


	14. Chapter 13 Research

**Chapter 13 Research  
**

After my quick initiation, we were now flying over Phoenix Arizona. I was amazed at the tall buildings; I have never seen a skyscraper before.

"Hey look!" Angel pointed to a curved silver building just below us. "That's the Burton Barr Library. I saw pictures of it once it looks really cool inside."

"Hey, I saw that too. It was rated top 9 on the Travel Channel for most outrageous bathrooms," commented Gazzy.

"Sounds awesome!" He and Iggy slapped mid-air high fives. I was amazed at how practiced they were at flying. They could fly so close to each other without getting their wings tangled.

"Can we go Max please?" Angel begged.

"Alright" Max sighed giving in.

As we came closer we could a see a twisted arrow sign that pointed to the library. We stopped nearby and hid behind a wall before we covered our wings and went inside.

The place was huge! The building was five floors and accommodated with glass windows and a stainless steel staircase that led to a loft above us. You could see people chatting and having a good time at the coffee shop above us.

"Wow! This place is huge!" Nudge exclaimed reading my mind.

Rows and rows of tables spread out in front of in the vast space and the area was line with thousands of books.

Max pointed to the ground. "Everyone meet back here in 30 minutes." She narrowed her eyes at Iggy and Gazzy "and behave your selves."

They both saluted jokingly. "Roger that Max," they said in unison.

Angel and Gazzy ran over to the glass elevator immediately pressing buttons to make it come down. I shook my head; I don't know why that would interest them. They can actually fly.

Iggy and Nudge walked off to the books and Max and Fang went upstairs to the coffee shop. I had my eyes set on the dozens and dozens of computers. Maybe I could find some information on the lab I was kept in for so long.

I walked over to a vacant computer and immediately began searching for articles on illegal animal testing, and recombinant DNA studies. Thankfully, most of the articles were in German so I could read them at least.

I sifted through the articles. '200 Dead in Lab Explosion' France Challenges EU Animal Testing Ban' 'Lab Shut Down for Illegal Animal Testing'

I sighed none of these articles were useful. I searched for a list of large labs involving human embryo research and three pages showed up on the screen consisting of over a hundred labs.

'_That's more than there should be. Especially, considering it's a fairly new science. I wonder how many of them are _decoys.'

I scrolled through the list until I found a name that sounded familiar. Malticorp, I had overheard some scientists talking about it before.

I clicked on the link and a page with a government logo popped up. I couldn't read it but I assumed it said 'Government Top Secret Keep Out,' just another secret to add to their collection.

I continued to scroll through the list until I found another familiar name, Itex. I clicked on the link and this time a page opened with an informational page all about it. Except for the illegal stuff of course.

It said that they were the leading producer of many products from baby bottles to hypodermic needles (no surprise there). They also have a research lab funded by the military for projects such as killer robots and invisibility. I wonder if we're part of that project too.

I searched for Itex and soon discovered 'The Institute for Higher Living'. _Suspicious?_ According, to blogs and forums people were suspecting illegal animal testing going on there and it contained much of Itex's research and documents.

That's all I needed to hear.

I walked up the stairs to find Max. She was sitting at a table nearest the door. She had head in her hands from a headache probably. Fang was sitting across from her.

"Max." She turned slowly. "Come with me." I looked at Fang "You too."

SC  
SC  
SC

"But New York is so big it could take days to find Itex." Nudge exclaimed.

Everyone gathered around me to stare at the screen. I had shown them the article on Itex, not that they could read it, but I explained what it said.

They were curious of my ability to read German at first, but the possibility of there being documents on their parents over rides the fact.

Fang crossed his arms stared intently. "Even if we did go to there, it will probably be swarming with Erasers!"

"Not necessarily, if New York is as big as you say it is then it is probably not as heavily guarded." I pointed out.

"What do you mean?" Fang inquired.

"Think about it, if you were to see a heavily guarded building wouldn't you be curious about it? Mystery and rumors works the same way for haunted houses. If you were to see a rusty old abandoned building no rumors or anything special as far as you could see, you wouldn't think twice about looking inside, and no one knows what it looks like."

Iggy thought about it and smiled, "You have a point there, but they also make the biggest explosions."

Max rubbed her temples. "Please tell me you don't plan to blow up New York?"

Fang turned his attention away from me. "Are you feeling okay?" he asked Max with concern.

"I'm fine it's just a headache as usual."

A woman, who looked to be about my age walked by. She didn't look like a librarian but she had a nametag with the library's decal on it. "Can I help you with anything?" she asked.

"No we're fine." I went back to searching.

"All right, she handed me a flyer with a picture of a bunch of kids in a reading circle. You should come sometime she motioned to Angel and Gasman."

"Thanks," said Max. The woman nodded and walked away. I looked at the flyer and gave it to the kids who weren't really interested.

"How are we supposed to find the place if we don't know what looks like?" Iggy wondered.

I shook my head. "Look for a unsuspecting place?" That was the main problem with the situation the Institute could be anything.

All of a sudden the screen flashed a map of New York City appeared and coordinates were typed. I looked around no had their hands on the keyboard. The map zoomed in on a street address.

Everyone stared speechless at what just happened. Except for Iggy. "Huh? Did I miss something?"

Nudge pointed at the screen. "I think the location of the Institute just appeared."

I nodded. "I think so too."


	15. Chapter 14 Midnight Fight

**Chapter 14 Midnight Fight**

Before heading off to New York there was one last thing we had to do.

We moved over to one of the larger round tables and sat in a circle with paper and printouts laid out in front of us.

We needed a plan.

"First things first," said Max, "We need to plan an escape route in case things get messy."

I studied the blueprints I had secretly hacked from the Itex's database. It was only half finished and there were a lot of blank areas but it was all we had to go on.

I pointed to the large front and back doors. "These are the main exit and entrances, and there's this one over here." I moved my hand over to one of the blank areas. "But who knows what we'll find there."

"Top secret human experiments?" Suggested Gazzy.

"Or something more dangerous," I answered.

Angel looked up from the papers we had collected. "What about the windows?"

"It doesn't look like there's that many. The blue prints don't show much." Max pointed out.

Iggy and Gazzy grinned mischievously. "If we need to we can create our own exit."

Gazzy motioned to his backpack, which was bulging with… I don't want to think about it.

"Only as a last resort, we don't need to be blowing up everything we come across." I quickly said before they came up with anymore-brilliant ideas.

"Aww your no fun," Iggy pouted then he mumbled, "You're just like Max."

No one spoke for a while but I could tell they were really thinking about their families if they had any.

"Do you think we'll be able to find some information on our parents?" asked Nudge breaking the silence.

Max heaved a sigh, "Who knows what we'll find,"

Max looked at the time on her watch, and then turned back to us. "It's getting late, we should find somewhere to sleep."

I turned to look at one of the circular windows. It was getting dark, and I could see the sun going down. The library would be closing soon too.

Fang's POV

We settled on a small forest not far from the city. We made a campfire and settled around to sleep. "I'll take first watch I quickly announced." I still didn't trust Heal and I wanted to watch her.

Max didn't protest like she usually did and quickly made her place on the ground. Angel on the other hand gave me a look before she laid down.

_Fang your really paranoid, _she thought to me.

_Go to sleep_ I thought back to her.

_You're just suspicious because the white coat said something bad about her._

Well if you put it that way…

_How did you find out about that anyway?_

_I read your mind earlier. If she wanted to hurt any of us she would of done it a long time ago._

_Just go to sleep Angel. We can discuss it tomorrow. _I hate to lose a fight and I must painfully admit I was losing.

Heal was leaning against the tree completely unaware of the "mental" fight Angel and I were having.

"Aren't you going to sleep?" I asked.

"I'm not tired," she said.

"After six days of no sleep?"

She didn't say anything.

She took out a black book from her backpack and began writing. I watched as she did until she looked up. "Is there something that interests you?" she asked annoyed.

"There's plenty to be interested in."

She closed her book. "I'm in the same situation as you."

"And what's that?" I demanded.

"This," she waved her arms around motioning to the surroundings. "I'm an avian hybrid who just escaped from a secret lab god knows where exactly and I'm running from the Erasers. Like you."

I turned myself around and looked away. Well, she's right.

"I know you don't trust me," she said "There's no reason you should."

Damn right there's not.

"The world is in danger and you'll need all the help you can get."

Wait… what?


	16. Chapter 15 Oranges

**Chapter 15 Oranges (Fang's POV)**

"What did you say?"

She didn't say anything. She seemed to be almost in a trance. "What do you mean the world needs saving!?" I demanded.

"Hmm… did I say something?" And like that she was blank.

She gave me a quizzical look and I stared in surprise. "Your joking right?"

"Joking about what?"

"You just said the world needs saving."

"The world always needs saving. What are you talking about?"

I shook my head. "Never mind." I went back to my watch. What was that all about?

SC

SC

SC

I yawned just before biting into an orange.

"Sleepy?" asked Max.

"I didn't get much sleep last night." I yawned again.

I ended up staying all night watching Heal, even on Max's shift. She didn't go to sleep until the sun came up.

"Do you have enough energy to eat that?" Max joked.

I looked over at Heal who was watching the kids play tag.

We had stopped at an orange orchard for breakfast, it's not much but it's better than eating out of a dumpster. I miss Iggy's bacon.

"Tag your it!" Gazzy leaped into air and Angel chased him. They startled Nudge and she dropped her orange. "Hey! Your gonna pay for that!" She joined in the chase too and before long the whole flock was involved.

I only watched, I was too tired to do anything. I decided to take a nap even though I should be on guard in case Erasers showed up. It would give me time to think.

The world needs saving… from what though? The School perhaps? And why did she just go blank after that? This is all too weird.

Then I remembered what Max had said before. Jeb had told her the same thing. It was along time ago, we were just kids.

I opened one eye to peer at her. She was writing in that black book again. I wonder what she could be writing.

"Fang!" said a female voice I grunted to let her know I was listening.

"Come on we're leaving."

"Huh? Oh." I was so deep in thought I didn't realize Max was calling me.

**Max's POV**

Of course, it just had to rain. It started slowly at first but then it got heavier and before long thunder rumbled and lightening streaked the sky. I was worried we would get hit by lightening so we were grounded for now. We stood underneath some trees waiting for the storm to stop. It was the only cover around and it wasn't helping. We were all soaking wet.

"You know there is a town nearby," said Iggy. "What are the odds of getting hit by lightening anyway?"

"A million to one. It's about the same chance any other day, raining or not." Heal said.

I had my jacket over my head trying to stay dry. I crossed my arms completely and utterly annoyed at everything, and my headaches weren't getting any better. "Spare me the details."

"Why don't we just walk?" said Nudge pointing out the obvious.

"After all, we're wet already." Iggy remarked.

Thank you captain obvious. It wasn't that I was afraid of the lightening exactly but something was telling me not to go into to town.

I rolled my eyes. "You'll guys just complain and complain about being cold, wet and hungry later."

"I'm already cold, wet, and hungry," Gazzy said giving me a lost dog kind of look.

I glared. "Your face will freeze that way."

"I kind of like the rain but only when I'm inside. It helps you sleep better even though I tend to oversleep and it makes my hair frizzy and-"

Fang slapped a hand over her mouth. Thank you God…

Angel looked up and smiled in a reassuring way. "It's okay Max, nothings going to hurt us." There's nothing more reassuring than a six-year-old physic and I felt slightly better hearing her say that. She has that effect on people.

"Unless Erasers suddenly show up," Gazzy responded. The Gasman on the other hand…

Angel glared at him mentally saying "_Your not helping!_"

"Oh remember, that time back at the house when lightening struck that old tree and it was burned to a crisp?" Nudge recalled.

"Yeah, that was so cool it made a huge noise," Gazzy imitated the sound, which sounded more like a small explosion than an actual lightening strike.

Suddenly, there was a huge boom and the ground shook for a moment. It startled everyone and Angel looked at me sadly.

"Yeah, like that," Gazzy stated.

Iggy stared off in the distance. "That was a big one!" he whistled.

"That… wasn't thunder," Heal said and everyone looked at me before we took off in the direction of the sound.


	17. Chapter 16 Premonition

**Chapter 16 Premonition (Heal's POV)**

"Look!" Gazzy pointed ahead of us, and we all turned to look at the thick fog of smoke rising up from the distance.

"A forest fire?" Nudge questioned. "I can hear the sirens!" As they drew closer the noise got louder and louder, and it soon became evident that it wasn't a forest fire at all. Instead, it was much worse!

We landed on a hill and stared in shock over at the burning pile of rubble in the distance. I recognized it as the plane I had seen in my dream. It had crashed into a bridge that was now barely standing and looked like it could fall any minute. Cars were thrown about like toys. People were scrambling even screaming as the fire raged on. Fire trucks, police cars, ambulances, they were already at the scene flashing red lights.

We all stood speechless even Nudge didn't say a word.

Angel burst into tears her face twisted in horror. "I can hear their thoughts! They're dying Max!" She buried herself in Max's shoulder and she stroked her hair softly trying to comfort her.

I soon realized what my dreams were all about… my nightmares. They were all premonitions. I put my hand over my mouth suddenly feeling sick remembering them. All this time… I could have prevented everything.

Then no one would have had to die…

I cringed at the sound of a smaller explosion and stared back at the plane. I imaged the faces I had seen of women and children, fathers and mothers and a single three-month old baby.

"I have to do something."

"Wait!" Max yelled but it was to late I was already headed toward the scene.

SC

SC

SC

I landed near the crash. People were running around crazy, screaming and crying for their loved ones. They could see my wings but it didn't matter.

"Hey!" a firefighter tried to grab me but I was to fast and I ran into the fiery inferno of the plane.

The smoke was thick and I could barely see. "Anyone here?" I yelled.

"Help! Over here!" a man coughed. I ran through the aisle to reach him.

A young man was huddled in between the seats. He looked like he was in his thirties with short black hair and he was wearing a black business suit or was it just covered in ash? His face was gray with it.

He was holding his leg. "I think it's broken," he said. Then he went pale. "Are-are you an angel?" he stuttered obviously seeing the wings.

"Your not that lucky, come on." I helped him up and he yelped in pain. I wrapped his arm over my shoulder and started down the aisle. "Is there anyone else?"

He clutched his briefcase tightly. "I'm not sure."

I came across a woman. She was sitting in a chair unconscious. Her head was bleeding and she had burns in multiple places. I leaned over awkwardly to check her pulse. She was dead.

"I smell gas," the man choked.

He was right. It was faint but I could smell it too. "Let's hurry." We moved down the aisle faster this time and the man moaned in pain.

Just as the exit came into view the smell of gas became stronger and I pushed through the exit. Everyone was keeping his or her distance and I could see the flock among a crowd of people behind a wall of police officers.

We stumbled as far from the plane as possible. Seconds later, the plane suddenly exploded and we were forced to the ground by the blast. All I could hear was the unbearable loud boom of the explosion and the clang of metal as bits and pieces of the plane hit the ground. I covered my ears in an attempt to drown out the noise.

Screams rang out from the crowd and two firefighters ran over. I was dizzy as I felt myself being lifted to my feet.

I was taken to an ambulance and immediately an oxygen mask was placed over my mouth and nose.

I sat on the edge of the bumper feeling immediately better being able to breathe again.

"Heal!" the flock ran over.

"Are you alright?" asked Angel. Her face was worrisome.

I took off the mask. "I'll live." I replied.

"She'll be just fine," said the medic just behind me inside the van. "She does have a few scratches but nothing serious. Not a single burn either," he said surprised.

Max sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. Don't do that again!" She was furious and I didn't blame her, what I did was rash.

I noticed the flock had their wings covered and I wrapped the blanket tighter around me. My clothes were black and burned to a toast completely ruined.

"But that was pretty cool," said Gazzy. Nudge nodded in agreement.

Iggy looked frustrated. "You have to tell me everything that happened. I'm the blind kid remember that."

I looked over at the man I had just saved. He was laying on a stretcher at another ambulance getting the same treatment I was; with him were a woman and a little girl, his wife and daughter I presume. They were hugging him gratefully and the woman was crying.

Angel smiled sitting next to me. "They're really happy and the women keeps thinking thank you over and over."

Just then the media came over running over faster then a speeding bullet. They were pointing cameras, flashing lights, and shoving microphones into my face and asking questions. Oh crap.

"We should probably split, like now!" Max grabbed the flock and we took off in a random direction away from the paparazzi, on foot I should add.

SC

SC

SC

Three days later at Gregory hospital.

Dan Mark was sitting in his hospital bed. His leg was propped up on stacks of pillows. It was bad enough he had broken his leg but he had third degree burns on his arms and both his legs it was painful.

"I'll be out of work for weeks," he thought. "I was really hoping for a raise too."

There was a knock on the door. "Go away," he called. Ever since the accident the press had been in and out asking questions and wanting to schedule interviews. He turned them all down. How was he supposed to explain a winged girl saved him?

A short wide man walked in. "I am not de press," he said in a heavy accent. "I vam here on vehalf of de Director. Do you have de package?"

He pointed to the other side of the room where a black fairly damaged briefcase waited. He walked over to it inspecting it for a second.

"What's in that thing anyway?" Dan asked. "It must be important if I almost lost my life over it."

"Indeed, it is important." He opened it momentarily and examined the object inside. He had his back to him so Dan couldn't see around him his wide frame.

He put the object back and locked the case before tipping his hat to him "I vish you a speedy recovery," he said simply and left.


	18. Chapter 17 Aftermath

**Chapter 17 Aftermath  
**

Our feet pounded on the pavement as we ran for cover from the paparazzi. They just never give up! We ducked behind some rubble and they ran past lugging their heavy equipment with them. Then, we collapsed onto the ground in relief we had finally lost. "Just how do they run so fast with all that stuff!" yelled Gazzy.

Max was the first to recover. "Practice probably, I think it's safe to use our wings now."

Scanning the area one last time we took off, heading towards a lake or a river I hope.

Fang glided close to Max. "You know they're going to air that right?"

"I know," was all she said.

I knew it too; such a big event would be broadcasted all over the country, possibly all over the world especially considering the wing episode. It would give our position away and the Erasers would find us. I'm such an idiot.

Angel pointed to the sky. "At least it stopped raining," she remarked.

It was quiet flight from then on, until Nudge broke the silence and proclaimed she was hungry.

"Alright, once we find a lake Iggy can cook us something," Max replied.

SC

SC

SC

It was almost sundown by the time we were able to find a lake. We decided to take turns starting with the dirtiest; which was… guess who.

I was filthy and black with ash; even my white hair was gray. I took off my ratty clothing and stepped slowly into the lake, momentarily shivering in the cool water. I was relieved to be clean again.

The water was thankfully shallow, and only waist deep. Just enough to get my hair wet. I took a deep breath and ducked under the water.

"Hey," said a familiar voice, I surfaced coughing. It was Max. "Did I scare you?" she laughed.

"No just clearing my lungs," I stated, and coughed once more.

She laughed again. "Mind if I join?"

"No, I don't mind."

She got into the water and threw back her head, sighing with delight. "The water feels so nice."

I wrapped my arms around me. "It's cold," I shivered

Max outstretched her brown and tan wings. "You learn to live with what you have and I haven't had a bath in days."

"At least it doesn't show on you. I'm like a blank canvas." I outstretched my own wings, which were more of a grayish color now, and the feathers on one wing were frayed, damaged.

Max looked upon it with worry. "Did that happen in the fire?"

I shook my head. "No, it's always been that way."

"Let me see," she touched it lightly with one hand, and immediately an image flashed into my head. It was only for a split second, I didn't catch it.

What was that?

Max pulled away. "Are you okay?"

I shook my head. "It's nothing."

Max continued to inspect my wing by moving her fingers over the feathers. As she did so a single feather fell into the water. This shocked her.

"Well, I'm no wing expert but I think they were clipped." she said gravely.

"Poorly," I added.

She stood back and continued to relish in the water. "How did you know that man was in the plane anyway?"

"I uh… lucky guess?"

Max raised an eyebrow.

"C'mon it's our turn!" shouted a voice I recognized as one of the boys.

"Oh alright!" She shouted back. She got out of the water and reached for a towel hanging over a tree branch. "There's some clothes over here for you." She pointed at some clothing lying on the ground, Iggy's probably.

I was taller than Max and Fang but about the same height as Iggy.

"Thank you." I got out of the water and got dressed.

I was wearing a white T-Shirt with some sort of band on it, which hanged loosely on my shoulders and a pair of jeans that almost fit but were too big in the legs. I also had to resort to wearing my old boots with the soles burned off. A walking fashion disaster.

"I think we should stop at the nearest clothing store when we come to one." Max chuckled.

"I think you would look so pretty in pink!" exclaimed Nudge. "It's my favorite color!" She dazed off into her own weird fantasies.

Angel joined in the conversation. "I think you would look pretty in blue. It would match your eyes."

Iggy looked up from where he was cooking something in a pan over a fire. "Oh, man is it that bad?" Gazzy leaned over and whispered something in his ear and he laughed too.

"Remember it's your clothes," I said annoyed.

"New York is only two days away. Let's go shopping when we get there. I wonder what kind of stuff they have in the malls." Nudge dozed off into more fantasies.

Max shook her. "We're on the run guys. We don't have time for a fashion show."

"And everyone is looking for us." Fang pointed at me. "Her more specifically."

"I know that," I said. "I had to do something."

"Then do it on your own time." He replied sternly. "Now we have the paparazzi after us, what next? The U.S. Army?"

"But-"

"Were the Erasers not enough for you?" He turned around and gave Max one of his 'We need to talk looks' then disappeared into the trees.

I frowned as I watched him go, and then directed my attention toward an ant carrying a big piece of sand in his jaws. _Was I really that much of a burden towards him?_

The others sensed my despair and tried to change the topic.

"Is it ready yet?" said Nudge. She pointed to the pan nervously.

"Oh, I think it's done." Iggy began to take napkins out of his bag and tried his best to go on as if nothing ever happened.

Max looked towards me, and sighed. _Was Fang EVER going to accept her?_ _It's not like she did anything wrong. _She turned her attention back to the food and took a bite. She wasn't even going to bother negotiating with Fang.


	19. Chapter 18 Numbers

**Chapter 18 Numbers  
**

"Yesterday at 2 P.M. Saturday, a plane in Hays, Kansas went down and hit the I-70 Bridge. The bridge collapsed onto the interstate below and blocked traffic for 2 hours as medical and firefighter staff arrived at the scene. There were approximately 27 people killed and 15 injured. Of the survivors, a man named Dan Mark was saved when a civilian ran into the burning plane and rescued him. The person is unknown and Dan Mark is refusing interviews. There is currently no footage of the event due to unknown circumstances and the reason why the plane went down in the first place is still under investigation."

"No footage?" We stood outside of an electronics store with about six TVs of a newswomen beaming in front of us.

"Did the School take it or something? You know, to hide the evidence?" Iggy asked.

Max shook her head. "No idea. At least we won't have to worry about it anymore." I noticed she was looking at Fang when she said this.

I looked from Max to Fang while they still glared at each other and the rest of the flock did the same. I knew they were fighting over me and I hated being the cause of all the tension in the flock.

I guessed Angel sensed my despair because she took Max's hand to separate her from Fang. "Let's stop fighting." She told Max. "We have things more important to worry about."

We stopped at an ATM machine and watched a man type in some random code into a number pad just like the scientist did at the lab when he was taking me outside.

When he was done we approached it. Max pointed at the machine. "Can you crack the code Iggy? Like you did last time?"

He 'looked' at it. I was guessing he would go by sound. "Don't you need a card though?"

Gazzy held it up but then remembered he couldn't see it. "I have the card Iggy."

"Cool, did you pick pocket it?"

Gazzy grinned "Yup."

"I taught you so well."

Max narrowed her eyes and waved them off. "Just – do it." She took the card from and slid it into the machine for Iggy.

He stood there for a moment thinking about the combination and then punched in some keys. The machine beeped warning him he was wrong. He punched in some more keys and it beeped again. Iggy's face twisted in frustration. "What?"

I watched him as he tried three more times. "May I give it a try?"

He nodded and stepped aside. I punched in the numbers _000119, _like I had seen the scientist do and then a random five number combination. A screen lit up that asked for a dollar amount. I turned to Max. "How much?"

Everyone huddled around the machine and Max stared in surprise. "How did you do that?"

"_000119_, I guess it works for all combinations."

Fang looked questionable before making his own investigation. "Where'd you learn that trick?"

"A scientist at the School, I saw him type it into a similar machine." He raised an eyebrow.

Angel looked over Max's shoulder as she was typing in the amount she wanted. "Money will be easier to get now won't it?" Angel asked.

Max nodded.

Even Fang looked surprised now. "Cool," he said plainly.

"Yay! Now we can buy all sorts of things!" Nudge exclaimed.

I was more surprised than any of them. That would mean the person who took me outside was not a scientist… for him to use a combination like that. I tried to remember the card he was holding, it had a face on it but I didn't get good look.

The machine was now spewing paper money and Nudge was ranting about all of the stuff she was going to buy with it before Iggy put a hand over her mouth to quiet her.

Could there be someone else on our side?

I looked up at the security camera securely mounted on the ceiling above us watching like a third eye. No one seemed to notice or was too concerned about it.

"Okay," Max held up the money she had just withdrew. "I have 200 dollars let's be quick."

We went into the nearest clothing store and began searching the racks. I didn't care what I wore I just wanted something that fit.

Nudge and Angel on the other hand, skipped throughout the store looking for something _'_cute and frilly'_._

Max didn't seem to care either and Fang just chose something black.

"Max look, isn't this pretty?" Nudge held up a pink dress adorned with sequins and glitter.

"Yeah sure, if we weren't on the run by Erasers all the time."

I eventually settled on a pair of denim capris and a red sleeveless T-shirt. I even found a pair of tennis shoes that fit too. I tried them on and discovered that they fit all right. Usually, I have more trouble finding clothes that fit. Even though I'm tall, I'm not the same weight as your average 17- year old teenager, you know, with the bird genes and all.

Everyone managed to find something and we used what was left of the money Max withdrew to buy food.

After all of the detours, we were far behind schedule but now we're finally headed to New York, it was only a day away.


	20. Chapter 19 New Enemies

**Chapter 19 New Enemies  
**

"Welcome to Pennsylvania," said Gazzy reading the sign.

A medium sized city was below us, which housed various grocery stores and restaurants. There was one building with many cars parked out front, and teenagers hanging around outside.

We decided to land. It was too risky to be flying out in public like this.

"Wow a mall!" shouted Nudge. She stopped to stare in a window as we walked past it.

Max rolled her eyes. "We just went shopping yesterday Nudge."

"I know, but it's huge!"

We stopped near a large museum surrounded by yellow school buses parked around the building.

"Hey, are those Erasers?" Gasman pointed to a black van parked on the side of the road. There was a man who looked like a super model standing off to the side and talking into his cell phone.

Angel nodded.

Max looked alarmed and turned to her, "How many?"

"There are six Erasers, maybe more."

I could already see a furry paw peaking out the back of the van. They wouldn't fight in public right?

There was a line of middle school students crossing the street into the building. "Okay guys, land quickly, hide your wings and pretend you're in middle school."

We stooped down and melted into the crowd. Nudge was the only one who really fit in and even she was tall for her age. Gazzy and Angel were to short and the rest us were too tall but everyone seemed to be preoccupied with something else other than us. One boy was punching buttons on some sort of video game.

When we were inside a too cheery tour guide greeted us. "Welcome to the Museum of Natural History, I will be your tour guide, follow me and let's begin."

We stopped by a Civil War exhibit where dummies were displayed in war attire. They were behind a glass window and held guns pointed at one another. The kids were laughing and pointing while the tour guide explained what they were seeing.

I shook my head in disgust.

"How long do we have to sit through this?" Fang mouthed to Max.

She looked over her shoulder. There were men in black suits and dark sunglasses scanning the crowd and stopping people every now and then to ask questions. "As long as it takes," she mouthed back.

The rest of the flock was quiet, pretending to listen closely to what the woman was saying.

I picked up a mock newspaper from a stack of others and held it up to see a black and white photo of people celebrating in the streets waving American flags. The war has ended… or so they thought.

"Hey," I looked down a sixth grader was standing there looking at me curiously. "You're a bit tall for a middle schooler," he said looking me over. He didn't even stand to my shoulder.

I held my finger to my lips. "Shh… I'm on a secret mission."

His eyes widened. "Mission? What mission?"

I pointed at the Declaration of Independence in a glass case, it was fake, the real one was in Washington D.C. somewhere but you know how gullible kids are.

His eyes narrowed as if reading my face to tell if I was lying. "No it's not… It's in Washington."

I shook my head. "That's what they want you to believe. The real one is here in Pennsylvania for security reasons, so why else would it be in a case?"

"Hmm…" He walked over and surveyed it as I sneaked away. Kids… I chuckled.

I rejoined the flock who had just about enough of learning.

The men were still scanning the crowd. I wasn't sure if they were scouts for the lab or what, but they were lessening and about ready to give up.

"Okay guys, let's take the stairs up to the roof and let's hope that nothing is up there," Max said.

We casually walked over to the fire exit, all the while keeping our eyes firmly locked on the men. When we made it the stairwell we ran as fast as the steps would allow us without tripping; which was unfortunately three floors high. Max has a thing with small-enclosed spaces.

Already, we had thrown off our jackets and unfurled our wings, but when we threw the doors open. There were more men waiting for us. It's a trap!

The men began to transform, growing hair all over their bodies and their jaws lengthening into sharp canine teeth. Their muscles grew in size and their pupils transformed into yellow wolf eyes, and to top it all off each Eraser grew a pair of doggy ears and a bristling tail as well as awkward black wings.

I hadn't known that Erasers could transform. "They're people!?" Before I had time to react someone grabbed me and pulled me into the sky with them. I realized it was Iggy. Even though he was blind he had a great sense of direction.

Fang peered behind his shoulder mentally counted the Erasers. "There are twelve this time I think."

We were still in the city and there were a lot of people out at this time. Hopefully, no one would see us. I flew higher just in case.

"Guys, wait till we're in a clearing and then we'll kick their butts." Max shouted.

"Right, let's do it!" Gazzy raised his fist and everyone else joined in shouting his or her own war cries.

The Erasers were not far behind and I could already smell the sewer stench; but there was another problem, it was me they were gaining on.

Seeing as I'm not a strong flyer of course I was far behind, and the flock far ahead. The wind was blowing strong too and I was flying against it. My memory flashed back to the time in desert, only this time the Erasers were using trees.

I found myself flapping my wings as fast as possible to no avail. An Eraser leapt at me from where he sat perched in a tree. He grabbed me at the ankle and pulled me down. I dropped several feet and he started laughing.

_We were in a clearing now._

"What's so funny?" I flipped around twisting his arm and laid a foot in his face. He let out of muffled cry and dropped.

They were people, genetic experiments just like the flock. The Erasers are rough with a twisted sense of humor but even so they're obedient. Were they made to be this way?

"Ari!" I turned to see Max confronting an especially heinous Eraser.

"Hello, again Max," he snarled.

She was gripping her fists tightly. "You always show up at the best of times."

Apparently, they had a very personal score to settle.

An Eraser hurled a punch with a clawed fist and I got hit head on. He was fast. I grabbed his arm and he immediately began panicking.

_They don't feel any empathy for the people they attack. They're more aggressive that way. They don't hesitate._

He tried to swipe me with his other hand and I grabbed his wrist.

I held on tightly. "What are you doing!? Let go!" he screamed.

I kicked him hard in the stomach and he went sailing into a bush.

Not far away the flock were fighting their own battles and I flew over to help. But just as I reached the nearest bird kid, another Eraser blocked me off.

"Hello birdie," said the Eraser, "Want some lunch? It's you!" Before he could react, Iggy came over and gave him a quick punch in the jaw that sent him sprawling to the ground. He gave me a quick nod.

"Thanks, Iggy."

Max was almost finished with Ari when a van pulled up and he and the other Erasers jumped in quickly. "Have fun," he snickered before the van sped away.

"Have fun? What is he talking about?" Nudge inquired.

There was a mechanical clanking sound just above us and we looked up.

"Oh God No…" Max said horrified.


	21. Chapter 20 2 0

**Chapter 20 2.0  
**

"They have wings now? They must be getting desperate," Max commented.

But we still have the upper hand in numbers.

Max unfurled her wings and jumped into the air, then into a mid-air fighting position. She hovered and raised her fists. "There are only a few, we can take them out easily."

"Wait! Max!" Angel yelled.

She slammed her fist right into the Eraser's jaw. His head whipped around but he seemed unaffected.

In response, he immediately sent a strong kick right into Max's stomach, which knocked her backward into Fang's arms and with the wind knocked out of her.

Angel hovered off to the side. "Max! The Erasers! I'm not getting anything from them! No emotions or anything!"

I confirmed her suspicions. "They're machines."

An Eraser turned around and lunged for me and I had to dip several feet in the air in order to avoid it.

"They're too strong!" Nudge yelled behind me as she took a kick in the back by a furry Eraser foot.

Now I get it…

"Guys!" I yelled, "They're attracted to sound!" I braced myself for a hit by an Eraser.

Fang nodded and the flock hesitantly decided to stay quiet never keeping their eyes off of them. They hovered in place being as still as they could.

Poor Nudge looked like she was about to explode.

Occasionally, the sound of flapping wings would bring an Eraser over but they cleverly dodged and even managed to stay silent.

Another Eraser neared and this time it was time to react. I brought my knee up under its chin propelling its head upward and Max kicked it off in cloud of nuts and bolts like a soccer player. Well, robo- beat up Eraser soccer.

The rest was like clockwork.

Iggy approached the second one from behind and knocked it off balance in the air. He kicked it downwards towards Nudge who distracted it and made noises until it clumsily landed into a tree. Angel was waiting there and slammed its head in with a large rock.

Fang soon destroyed the third one who had also followed Nudge with a swift punch, and perhaps with the help of one of Iggy's and Gazzy's smaller handmade bombs.

Gazzy punched the air. "Awesome!"

"There's probably more," Fang said quickly. "We shouldn't stay here."

Everyone nodded in reply, and we flew until the city was just another speck in the background.

"What were those things?" asked Nudge. She seemed shaken and scared.

"I think they're prototypes since there weren't that many," said Iggy. "They have their flaws."

"Yeah, but they're still tough." Max said while holding her bruised stomach where the Eraser had punched her. "Stay on the alert guys we don't want to run into any more of them."

Fang slowed down to coast next to me. "How did you know they were attracted to sound?"

I looked at him; his eyes were saying 'say the wrong thing and I'll kick your ass.'

I sighed, "Every time someone said something they turned around and attacked. They could have been attracted to movement too, but it would have to be large targets not your average bird or anything."

"Like a car?" Gazzy questioned.

"No way, then those Erasers would attack everything they see." Iggy snickered and looked at us. "They're blind." For once, he wasn't the only one.

Gazzy crossed his arms. "Well then there must be some way they're able to lock on to us."

Angel looked nervous and Max was silent throughout the flight. "Maybe it's the chip?" She spoke finally.

The flock held in their gasps and looked down.

"Chip?"

"Max has a chip in her arm; apparently it was put there when she was really young," said Nudge.

"Oh…" I should have expected such things.

"But wouldn't that mean we would all have one?" Angel did bring up a good point.

"If we all had one, they would of probably used it for something else by now."

After the conversation had ended, our attention turned to the abandoned city we just crossed over into.

"Creepy," said Gazzy as he looked at the scene below us.

The skeletons of tall skyscrapers stood vacantly as moss and vines grew up their frames. There weren't any windows and you could see there were creatures nesting inside. What used to be road had cracked in many places, and dandelions were rising in between them. Leaves scattered the ground from the new growing trees. Frames of what used to be cars lined the streets as if they had been abandoned in a hurry years ago.

"Wow, how is old is this place?" Angel wondered curiously.

Max surveyed the ground below us. "No idea, I wonder what happened here."

We landed in a not so green part of the street to take a look around. It was getting dark already and despite the eeriness of the situation it was a safe place to sleep. No people around or anything. On top of that, this place lasted forever.

Nudge's stomach growled loudly and she furrowed her brow. "I'm hungry Max."

Iggy got on his knees and his hands went to his pack. "So am I, let's cook something."

Fang made a fire and we all sat down around it cooking hotdogs on a stick.

"I wonder if nuclear radiation from a bomb made everyone leave the city," said Gazzy who elaborated on his theory. "During World War I a bomb must of exploded nearby. It was a small one though but this city got the worst of it and they had to evacuate."

"We didn't see any real wreckage on the way here," said Angel, "Just what's left of this place." She took a bite of her hot dog and grabbed another.

Iggy grinned evilly. "Alien attack."

Max rolled her eyes. "Don't be ridiculous."

I took a small bite of my blackened hotdog. It didn't taste so good.

"You never know, they can erase memories," he pointed at his head when he said this.

I reached for another. I must have cooked it to long.

Nudge was gulping down her hotdogs religiously. "How about a monster like Godzilla, or King Kong, or maybe Fangazor?" She said in between bites. She laughed and almost made herself choke. Fang glared.

"The Nudge channel on stereo," he said slowly.

Iggy burst into laughter. "Haha that would scare anyone away."

"Maybe we should try it in our next Eraser attack," Max suggested.

"How do you cook this thing?" I held up my charred hotdog and everyone laughed again.

They had their backs to the overgrown bush they didn't see it, the shadow.

"Guys!" I felt a sharp pain suddenly on the back of my head and then the world started slowly fading. I could see the Flock as they fell forward also. Something soft brushed my face and then… nothing.


	22. Chapter 21 II Trapped

**Chapter 21 II. Trapped  
**

_I was strapped to the metal surface of a table. My hands and feet bound by silver cuffs, and the annoying beeping of life monitors- measuring such things as blood pressure and heart rate- irritating my ears. Everything was white. The ceiling was white, the floors were white, even the walls. There were no windows anywhere, no chance of escape from the white room of hell. Dimly could I see the people, scientists, watching from behind a large glass wall. Only, they weren't staring at me today. Instead, their attention was turned to a small animal one of the scientists held in his hands. It was a tiny puppy, with silky white fur, its eyes were closed and unmoving, just like me. The scientists were talking among each other, words I couldn't hear, but I had learned to read lips after years in the white room. "Success", one of the scientists spoke, "life… two weeks", "DNA… 97% human, 3% canine, … 01"_

I slowly opened my eyes to the cold and darkness of a small room. There were bricks and concrete all around me and I couldn't help but shudder from the sudden difference of the skyscraper forest.

There was a young girl kneeling next to me. Who looked to be about eight. Her hair was short, in a tight ponytail, and she had bright green eyes that stood out in the darkness. She had my left hand in one hand, wrapping it in a bandage; and she wasn't being gentle. "Hey!" I lifted my head from where I was lying on the hard concrete.

She looked at me and squeezed my wrist, hard. I winced. "That's what you get for waking up when I'm not done," she said fiercely.

"Ouch, who are you?" She continued bandaging my wrist without giving me a second thought.

"Alexis, the only freaking medical wolf around here cause' no one ever gets hurt and yet I'm soo needed right now," she was sarcastic and very annoyed.

"Ookay…"

I looked to the flock who were not far away; they were just beginning to stir. I noticed they had also been medically attended to.

Max was the first to recover. "Where am I?!"

"In a subway genius," she said bluntly.

"Subway?"

Fang was the next to stir and he looked around blankly before resting his eyes on the girl. "Who are you?" He demanded directly.

"Idiot! I already answered that and I don't like repeating myself!" Apparently, she was easily angered. Which didn't help much since she was already fuming.

Everyone else was awake now, woken by the girls' harsh voice. Slow and groggily, Iggy rubbed the bump on his head. Like him, I felt a similar one forming. "Is this… the school?"

"No! It's the subway for crying out loud!" She pointed at the dirty brick walls, unconvincing as a subway. "The school is across the street," she mumbled, though still spiked with irritation.

"What do you want with us?" Max questioned.

Her eyes narrowed at all seven of us, disheveled and worn out. "I should be asking you that! What do you want with us? Why are you in our territory?"

"Territory?"

"Damn, that Kat, Damien should have just killed all of you when he had the chance," she muttered madly.

"What was that?" Fang and Max started shouting.

"You heard me, you should be dead, just like everyone else who comes here."

The kids gasped and I stared at her wide-eyed. They killed everyone here…? Just who are 'they'?

"Let us go," Max said fiercely.

Alexis looked at him straight in the eye, not even giving slightest hint of being fazed at all. "Idiot! If I wanted to do that I would've opened the door long ago. Even if I did you wouldn't get out of the tunnels."

"Wanna bet?" Fang pushed her aside and began making his way toward the door, but before he took a step forward she sent a kick to his stomach. He gasped once before being thrown against the opposite wall on the other side of the room in a crumpled heap.

"I'm also here to guard you! Don't make me have to bandage you some more!"

Fang!" Angel cried and ran over to him. The flock followed not far behind.

The wall was old and bricks and dirt had fallen all around him, there was a large Fang shaped hole where he impacted. It was reinforced with steel and more concrete. He held his stomach in pain and moaned slightly.

"Okay, now you have three broken ribs. That should be fun to fix," Alexis mused victoriously.

_She uses medical knowledge as a weapon. _

Nudge was in hysterics. "Oh my god Fang!"

"Just who do you think you are?" Max yelled. Her voice echoed throughout the room and sounded menacing.

_I think I'll stay out of this one._ I inched over to Fang who lay sprawled out on the floor next to Iggy, who was feeling for wounds. "Hey, he does have three broken ribs!" He announced.

"Of course he has three broken ribs! I'm the one who broke them! And my name is not Who, it's Alexis."

"What's going on in here?" The door opened and a girl with long hair walked into the room. She was older, about my age, with her hair also tied back. She also had the same glowing green eyes. "Alexis are you abusing the patients again?"

"Nah, just kicking some ass," she said lamely and crossed her arms.

She looked over at Fang who was doubled over in pain but trying to put on a brave face.

She threw up her hands in dismay. "This is why we can't live in normal society." She wandered over to Fang, and helped him to his feet.

"I'm Katalina, I'm pretty sure we're all fairly acquainted now aren't we?"

Everyone shook his or her head no.

"Bummer."

Two more people walked into the room, both guys, one looked eighteen the other much older twenty-one maybe? The oldest had jet-black hair and white almost silver eyes. He was also the only one of the four people without white hair. The other person strayed only a bit short of him. His one eye glowed blood red in the darkness.

Gazzy looked from me to the newcomers and back to me again. "Are you related to them or something?" he said, noting the white hair.

The black haired guy immediately got down to business and narrowed his eyes, he was NOT happy. "Why are you in my territory?" He demanded to all seven of us.

"Nice place you have here, have you met the mole people yet?" Max said sarcastically.

He narrowed his eyes more and ignored her.

"Why didn't we just kill them like every other human that passes by?" The one with red eyes inquired.

Angel gulped and looked to Max. They were telling the truth. The rest of the flock looked shocked and probably wished Erasers had captured them instead.

"But if they have wings they're obviously not completely human," Katalina argued, "Really now, is it so necessary to kill everybody who walks through this place?"

_For once I was glad I had wings._

He completely disregarded her. "So then, for what motive did you have to cross into our territory in the first place?" He directed towards us.

"Did you kill everyone who lived here?" I asked them nervously disregarding his question.

He gave the flock and I an annoyed glance. "No, it was this way in the beginning."

"What… What are you going to do with us?" Nudge stuttered.

"We will decide later on."

Realizing that the Flock weren't going to give answer him straightforward. He turned to leave the room with the others. "I will give you time to think of your defense."

The door closed behind them with a loud bang, shuddering me to the bone. We were left in complete darkness other than a candle flickering the far corner. I picked it up and set it in the middle of the room so I could get a better view of our surroundings, and be somewhat out of the darkness.

We were in a tunnel, blocked up since, I guess, the people disappeared. The roof had a rounded shape that was beginning to crumble. The only other entrance or exit was further down and blocked by a large mass of large rocks, concrete, and fallen steel support beams. This place was falling apart. I set my eyes on the door, the way they had left through. I turned to the others.

Max was caressing Angel, who was shuddering in her arms. "Their minds are really hard to read, it's like reading a textbook with thoughts floating around and I can barely read them at all!" She said slowly and everyone looked shocked.

"Just like you." Gazzy said grimly.

I dropped my gaze to the cold, stone surface of the concrete. I didn't want to think about it, I didn't want to know.

"Who ever they might be, I don't want to stay here and find out." Fang said as he got to his feet. He winced and clenched his teeth from the pain.

Max eyed him intently. "What are you planning to do? Your not going very far with wounds like that."

"I don't know, but I'm not going to let myself be beaten by a little girl," he mumbled.

Iggy licked his lips in thought. "I could probably bomb this place."

"If you did that, then we'll all die, and besides they took our packs." Max intervened.

"Then what do you suggest we do then?"

"Guys, look!" Nudge pointed to the door that the strangers have left through. "Do you think it's locked?"

Fang eyed the rusted doorknob suspiciously. "I bet I could bust through it."

Max punched him in the arm lightly. "The only thing you'll be doing is lying here."

"Then what would we do? We don't even know how we got here!" Gasman burst out, he was the voice of reason for once.

Max rolled her eyes. "Well if anyone has any other bright ideas I'm open for suggestions, but right now I'm trying the door." She stood up and walked over to it.

"Max, wait! There are people out there!" Angel warned.

"Big surprise, I don't see any other way out, I'll take my chances with them."

Iggy, Nudge, and Gazzy who decided it was worth trying, joined her by the door, alert, and fists up ready to kick some butt.

Angel and I stayed away, we were more cautious of the threat outside. I could tell Max was uncomfortable here; life in a cage will do that to you.

"Okay guys, one, two…" She twisted the doorknob ever so slightly and everyone tensed. It was unlocked!

Max grinned in excitement but I was apprehensive. Normally, you wouldn't leave your prisoners in an unlocked room unless you had some reason to.

Max opened the door slowly and Angel covered her eyes. Immediately snapping jaws met them from the other side. The door was barely open but even so they were pushing at the door forcefully, sharp canine teeth bared and growling.

The flock was actually forced to hold the door closed until they stopped.

"Okay, it may be a bit harder than I thought," Max sighed.


	23. Chapter 22 Threats and Proclamations

**Chapter 22 ****Threats and Proclamations ****(Max's POV)**

"Okay, we're seven mutant bird kids captured and trapped in an abandoned subway with tougher than Eraser wolves outside the door," I said summing up the situation. "They couldn't of provided better room service."

The Flock were lying around, everyone too tired for a comeback. I knew they wanted to sleep, me included, but we're all too nervous.

Sure, I've been exposed to worse having grown up in a cage constantly being tortured by scientists, but these people actually posed a threat seeing as they WANTED to kill us and possibly have us for dinner.

Of course, I intend to keep that from happening, but I didn't even see them coming the first time.

I heaved a sigh and closed my eyes. I was trying to come up with a plan, but my mind kept drawing blanks. _Way to be the leader Max. _

I had no idea how long we had been in here. There was no sunlight but I had a feeling it was almost daylight, having been equipped with an internal clock. The only light came from the flickering of a small candle centered in the middle of the room, which provided very little anyway.

Nudge yawned. "I'm tired Max, weren't those people supposed to come back?" She shivered and I wrapped my wings tighter around her. Her eyelids were drooping and she bobbed her head back in forth trying to stay awake.

Iggy was leaning against the wall arms behind his head. His eyes were closed not that they would be of any use anyway. "Maybe they forgot about us."

"There's someone just outside the door listening to us talk," Angel said drowsily her blond curls spread haphazardly on my lap. I ran my hand through them, soothing her.

It's just one thing after another. Even a simple trip to New York is a journey. I wondered if those people were a gang of some kind, but don't they usually live in active, real cities?

Just what the heck happened here? Plus the resemblance to Heal, they all had white hair. It hadn't surprised me when I first met her. After all, I've seen some pretty weird stuff back in the day. What else does she have in common with them?

Heal sat cross-legged close to the candle inspecting one her wrist. She had taken off one of the bandages and even from here I could see a deep gash. She never did tell us how she got those injuries. In fact, neither she nor Angel had explained what happened when they escaped the school.

My gaze fell to Angel who refused to make eye contact. I felt now wasn't the time to ask.

I turned back to Heal. "How you holding up over there?" I said quietly, the walls echoed my voice anyway.

"Fine," she answered.

I let myself fall back against the bricks. "If anyone finds a secret passage or something let me know."

"Max…"

I grunted acknowledging her.

"If they were going to kill us why did they bandage our wounds?" Heal held up her other wrist revealing where it was tightly wrapped with gauze.

My hand moved to the bandage placed firmly on the bridge of my nose. I hadn't thought of it.

"So they're not going to kill us?" Asked Nudge hesitantly.

"Lying," said Fang from where he lay on the floor. I knew he was in pain but he always kept a straight face. We all did.

"Then what do they want with us?" Iggy questioned.

"Experiment?" Gazzy suggested

"Oh, yeah right." I rolled my eyes and directed my gaze towards the ceiling. What they did they plan to do to us in an abandoned run-down place like this? I think the darkness and the kill us all threat, which didn't seem as much of a threat anymore, was getting to us.

Nudge jumped with suppressed urgency. "Are they going fatten us up and eat us for dinner?"

"Yup!" A voice from outside interrupted us. She strolled in, and I couldn't help but stifle a gasp at the long, lean body of a wolf maybe twice my size. "Birds of prey always taste better after a long evenings nap." This wasn't any ordinary wolf, other than being able to talk; she had long human like fingers where the paws should be, and the fingernails were like sharp talons.

The snow-white wolf walked into the middle of the room and let out a low growl at Heal, who stood up and was backed up against the wall with me and the rest of the Flock. Her jaws were parted, revealing huge canines. I swung my arm protectively over the kids and so did Fang.

"I wonder who I should start with first, you all look so appetizing, the little one especially."

Angel whimpered and I pressed her closer to my side.

"That's enough Malfia." She turned around to face those three people from earlier, or more like a DAY ago!

They stood in the doorway obviously irritated. "Stand down," said the one eyed guy.

"Okay, no harm done Mercello." She did kind of a doggy shrug.

She moved aside and I was finally able to relax. A bit, a _tiny_ bit.

The guy with black hair, the leader I was guessing, stepped forward. He stared at us for a moment taking everything in before he spoke. "I have accessed your situation. You are looking for the New York Itex branch, correct?"

I stared at him open mouthed and I saw the flock doing the same.

"Yeah, pretty much," Nudge said quickly. "How did you figure it out?"

"Research," he said simply. I raised an eyebrow.

"In other words he guessed," spoke Katalina. He turned sharply and glared.

I shook my head frustrated. "Who are you?"

"My name's Katalina."

"No, I mean what are you?"

"We're Wolves if you can't tell." She pointed at Malfia sitting in the corner as an example.

Wolves like Eraser wolves? They can transform? My suspicions heightened. I wonder if they are from the school.

The guy gave her a stern look before his face went blank again. "Secrets out," was all he said. "You're not a threat any longer, so you are free to go." Mercello was standing just behind him and he even looked surprised.

"What's up with you?" he said gruffly.

Okay, now I'm officially beyond confused. "What!?" We all shouted at the same time.

We've been waiting here for a full day (I think) in a dusty, cold, wet, dirty room infested with rats that smelled like Gasman on taco night (We were lucky he didn't let one go right now), to get questioned by these guys and then they just let us go? Absurd, crazy, annoying yet awkward, it made me feel like bashing someone's face in.

"What do you mean!?" Iggy shouted. Fang clutched his chest where Alexis had kicked him. His eyebrows furrowed. We couldn't trust these guys.

I gave a dirty look to the wolf with red eyes standing ever so dutifully in the corner, Malfia, who had a big toothy grin on that furry face of hers.

"He means you're free to ROAM but not to go anywhere." Kat pointed at the door. "After all, I wouldn't want to be cooped up in here all day."

_You can trust her Max she's a nice person. _Angel thought to me. _Mercello isn't as agreeing though. The main leader is Damien._

_Thanks sweetie, _I thought back.

Now he has a name.

Mercello stood in the doorway, but momentarily turned to Damien before leaving. "I hope you realize what you're doing," he said.

Damien stood there expressionless similar to Fang when he was being resilient. Now I know why it took them so long to get back. They were probably arguing over the issue.

Like Fang and I… over Heal.

"Malfia, come, we need to get back to business," Mercello left the room, with Malfia wagging her tail and following closely behind, but not before pausing to give me an evil look.


	24. Chapter 23 Discoveries

**Chapter 23 Discoveries  
**

"Stay off the third rail," Gazzy read aloud from a crooked sign. That was the opposite of what THEY were doing. There were wolves running about on the third rail and then some doing daily things like washing clothes in metal bins and building bombs… I thought of Iggy and decided to keep my mouth shut and pushed Gasman's curious eyes away. There were colorful cloth curtains hanging haphazardly from metal posts along the walls to give a little privacy, and one group sat intently around a radio that was at a range I couldn't hear.

Katalina continued on pointing out stuff and talking a mile a minute without being descriptive. She was another Nudge, and it was just another torture that I was used to. Thankfully, Nudge stayed quiet nodding ever so slightly at Katalina.

My eyes darted left and right looking for some source of escape. I couldn't find one. I looked to Fang who was doing the same. The walls were too low to fully lift off.

Some of the Wolves stared at us intently as we passed, low growls escaping their throats I made a face and moved on. There were human looking people too, but not as many as the Wolves, though some had wolf ears on top of their heads and bushy tails. They all had white hair.

Heal walked expressionless whilst hanging her head. I wondered if she could be a wolf too. She sure seemed to fit the part except for one thing, all of the Wolves had either white, red, or green eyes; hers were blue and she has wings.

"Hey, Max why is everyone so young?" Angel whispered.

I looked around. It was hard to tell what age the Wolves were. They were huge, but what human people I could see did appear to be about our age, and some a little older. I guessed Damien was the oldest but then again, he was the only person with a natural hair color, could he be human?

"I don't know sweetie," I replied thoughtfully.

Katalina led us into a small square room with a long counter on one end and what used to be a glass window now in pieces on the ground. I could make out colorful paper advertisements torn up and yellowed from old age as well as tickets strung around the room. It was a ticket booth, though you probably couldn't have guessed it otherwise.

She went over to a rusty file cabinet in the corner of the room. "This is where the files on Itex and research are kept. No one cares to look though since we can't read German."

"German?" Heal knew German right? I turned to her and she gave a puzzled look while Katalina pulled at the cabinet door.

"Darn thing is rusted shut," she said and tugged it open with a metallic snap. "There we go!" She began pulling out rumpled files and tossed them onto counter.

"Why are you showing us this?" I asked curiously. No one cared to explain anything around here and Katalina was kinder than anyone else we've met so far.

"You're from Itex aren't you? You probably know more about this stuff than we do," she slapped the last folder on the counter, "And I'm curious, so anyone know German?"

Heal walked over to the counter where the papers were laid out disorderly and picked one up. She looked at them for a minute before saying, "These aren't Itex they're Malticorp files."

SC

SC

SC

**Heal's POV**

I sorted through the files while the Flock, Katalina, and now Damien peered over my shoulder. The room was much too small for all of us and I nudged them away.

Most of the stuff I was reading was just research, some with drawings of human anatomy and others with wings. The drawings gradually began to change looking like something Da Vinci would make. Human hands with long fingers and robotic mechanics, as well as other inventions built for war. On another page, there were pictures of different extensions of wings and included were inscriptions and notes scattered across the paper.

I handed the research documents to the Flock who gathered around and stared curiously at them. Damien and Katalina were holding some of the pages too and they talked amongst themselves.

I picked up a few sheets with messy handwriting and held them up to the light. The Wolves lived in the dark. They had much better eyesight than the Flock and me. A normal person probably wouldn't be able to see at all.

"What does it say?" asked an excited and bouncing Nudge. "Is it info about our parents? Probably not but wouldn't it be cool if it was? I mean that's what we were going to New York for so maybe --"

"Nudge!" Iggy slapped a hand over her mouth before she could continue. "Give her a minute and she'll tell you."

_Thank you Iggy._

I looked over the scribbled paper again. I could barely make out a few words. "I can't read this."

"Why not?" asked Gasman.

I held up the paper for him and everyone else to see. "The handwriting is a mess."

Max nodded. "Yeah, they should stick to typing."

I was just about to put it away when I noticed a date, 1961, it's a journal.

**_March 11, 1961_**

_I was recruited by the government to work in a lab called Malticorp. I know nothing of this place other than it pays well and it's heavily guarded. I'm staying in a building separate from the main lab and the other workers. We all had a wide range of professions from pediatrics to veterinarians and they are all just as clueless as I. It was a two hour drive from the main city to the wilderness. The bus that had driven us here had dark tinted windows that you couldn't see out of so the exact location of this lab is beyond me. I need to call my wife but I can't seem to find a phone. I'm regretting this situation already. I'm a psychologist what am I doing in a laboratory? _

The paper was beyond faded, sketchy, and overall difficult to read. I filled in the invisible words assuming the best, but one thing was clear; they didn't know what they were getting into.

**_June 1, 1961_**

_They're experimenting with something and I know it must be illegal. Why else the tight security? We were also told not to ask questions. I met a man named Davis who majors in microbiology. He told me some interesting information about the samples he was studying. He described it as 'outer worldly.' He doesn't know where the samples come from and these guards aren't big on conversation. I'll keep looking into it._

Nudge appeared from behind and leaned over my shoulder. "What cha' reading?" She asked curiously.

"It's a journal from a Malticorp employee in 1961 and 1962."

"That's a long time ago. What does it say?" Max inquired.

"Well, number one the people hired were of various professions, they didn't know what they were getting into. And number two there was illegal human experimentation even back then."

Fang stood calmly in the shadows arms crossed and staring. "They were hired by the government weren't they?" He said inexplicably.

I nodded. "But medical equipment and technology was very primitive back then I'm not sure how they could've done it."

Angel smiled sweetly and confidently. "Nothing is impossible. Don't worry we'll figure this out."

That was the last entry from 1961. I shifted through the papers most of them were missing. The next one was very short.

**_January 29, 1962 _**

_I'm breaking into the lab with Greenburgh who I met the other day. He's vain and I don't like his attitude but I need his medical knowledge. Wish me luck!_

The next one was defiantly rushed and words were sketched through multiple times. He was in a hurry. Many of the words were impossible to read.

**_January 31, 1962_**

_They are working on human specimens! The girl was young and severely --. _

_She had begun to come to until Greenburgh put her back to sleep. That idiot! He called her evil, a demon, an alien. She was human. I had no idea what they had done to her. _

I was getting frustrated now. I feel like I'm missing important information.

I chucked it to the side and picked the last entry; a half torn sheet of paper.

**_November 19, 1962_**

_I wasn't allowed to see her today. That's all the guard told me but I know better. I snuck into the lab and watched as she was chained to the wall and guards stood in a line in front of her. Their guns were poised aimed at her. She saw me then and her eyes pleaded with me to run. They were executing her! That's when I ran in but it was –_

It was too late? That's where the journal ended. The fact that he had written this meant he survived but what of the girl?

I turned to Damien and Katalina. "How did you get these documents?"

"Some Wolves found them a long time ago. No one cares about their history." Katalina shrugged. "They've been in that cabinet forever. Why? What does the journal say?"

"The journal ends with the execution of a girl, but the author intervened. Whether she survived or not isn't clear."

In the distance, a girl with red eyes was staring intently at us with her tongue hanging out of her mouth and a finger moved across her throat in a cutting motion.

I don't need this right now.

**A/N: Haha! Malfia makes everyone feel better. **


	25. Chapter 24 Questions Without Answers

**Chapter 24 ****Questions Without Answers**

We were allowed to wander in the subway station as we pleased. True, we were captives, but that appears to be forgotten. Even so, Damien still kept a close eye on everyone, and Mercello busied himself with dragging Malfia around and distracting her from her evil doings.

Iggy and Gazzy were already staring wide eyed at a group who were creating paper bombs laced with sodium. They didn't seem to give them a second thought at the two as they kept on working. What they needed those bombs for I don't want to know.

Angel and Nudge were in a corner with some children showing them how to make bracelets with yarn they also seemed uninterested.

Max and Fang were standing in the deepest darkest corner of the subway. They talked quietly amongst themselves while watching the flock warily. Occasionally, Max would pinch the bridge out of her nose out of frustration or confusion.

"Hey," I turned around to see Katalina staring at me eagerly.

"Hey," I replied.

"I have some questions for you, and so does Damien but he's too shy to ask," she looked over at Damien as she said this and he met her gaze puzzled from across the room.

"Okay…" I said slowly.

We walked over to some wooden stools, which were uncomfortable and exceptionally large, built for the Wolves. "I'll answer your questions, as long as you agree to answer mine."

She nodded, "agreed."

"Question number one, how do you know German?" she spoke the last part rapidly.

"Well I... Uh…"

"Tell me!" She leaned in even closer; curiosity filled her being as if it were the meaning of life.

I looked away whilst Katalina continued to bounce in her chair. "I learned it... when I was… young."

"Oh, I see, so English was your first language?"

"It's mine turn to ask a question now."

"Ooookaaaay," she said bored.

"What are you? You're not the typical wolves."

"Pfft, obviously, our race doesn't really have a name. We just call ourselves Wolves. We each have different color eyes red, green, and white. It determines our clan," she shrugged her shoulders. Some Wolves like to say they it determines the country they were born in, but that's just wishful thinking. "

"So, you're all born in one area?" _Unusual, but nothing really surprises me anymore._

"Ah uh, It's my turn to ask a question," she wagged her finger. "It's the same as the last, what's your first language?"

_Why is she so interested in where I come from?_

"I… can't tell you."

"Hmm? Why not?"

I looked away. "That's another question."

"But you didn't answer my last question."

"Some questions can't be answered."

"Hmph, fine," she pouted. "We move a lot so we're born in the different places. I was born here though."

"What do you know about Malticorp?" She asked curiously.

"Nothing much, but it's a lab in Germany. According to the journals it was founded in 1960 and kept secret."

I stopped to think for a moment. "What do you know about it?"

"Well, we don't know much, but it is believed that our first ancestors escaped from there."

"So you don't remember?"

"A lot of generations have passed since then. We only live to be an average of seventeen years old, but that's a question for Damien. He's older."

A life span of only seventeen years… wolves age faster than humans, it makes sense. But I also appear to be around seventeen. I hope I'm not one of them. Just what is my relationship with these guys? I stole a glance at Damien, who was talking to a smaller, red eyed wolf about I don't know what.

I looked at Kat, and tried to hide the fear of talking to the cold leader. She must have noticed, because she gave me a sympathetic look. "We can go over and ask if you want."

I really didn't want too. But I knew had to get to the bottom of this, and Damien might be my only source.

"Okay. Let's do it."


	26. Chapter 25 Benefits

**Chapter 25 Benefits**

Damien was just about to leave for some important business when Kat and I showed up. He turned around and gave me an annoyed stare, collapsing my confidence for a moment, but with Katalina by my side, I was able to keep my composure. I decided to get it over with and ask my question before… I don't know he jumps us?

"What do you know about Malticorp?" I asked him sternly.

"Malticorp is a loathsome place. You shouldn't concern yourself with it." He turned to leave again but Katalina moved in front of him and placed her hands on her hips.

"Don't be so bothersome, you're the only one who knows and you might as well pass on your knowledge before you die a lonesome Wolf."

"Why must I share my knowledge with a group of trespassers?"

"They're not trespassers!" Katalina shouted in protest.

"We just happened to be flying by, we were only resting. We thought this place was abandoned," I added.

"What benefit would it provide if you knew about it?"

"All I know, is that place is connected to my past somehow. I've already translated the documents. It's the least you could do to explain them."

"I don't owe you anything! It is a mere coincidence you are here now," Damien glared coldly.

Katalina threw down her hands in frustration "Ugh, everything is a coincidence to you."

Damien ignored her and stepped up to me until we were face to face. He was tall, several inches taller than me. He looked at me fiercely. "Give up searching for Malticorp. There's nothing there anymore."

I looked back at him with the same expression. "Why Damien is it so hard to talk about Malticorp?" He turned his back and walked away not willing to say anymore.

Katalina chased after him while I found a bench and sat down. I pulled out the folded papers and read over them one more time.

I looked at the documents over and over in search of key details. I couldn't help but feel like I was missing something. Like there was a hidden message in between the lines, something I couldn't read.

I turned back to the wolves, searching for some hidden knowledge that couldn't be there. Now I was wondering…how could they possibly have this text? Did they just happen to come across it somehow? Or were they experiments as well? Katalina had said they had just come across it, but I know there's more to that story.

I shook my head trying to dispel the image. They were strong, intelligent, and fearless. No way would could they be contained behind the iron bars of a cage.

They don't know German but neither does the flock. They must be from the United States laboratories but still the documents …

"Heal!"

Nudge came running up to me frantically and waving her arms in panic. "Max is having a brain explosion! And she's doubled over in pain and Fang looks really worried, he never looks worried and… and…"

"Uh…you mean a brain aneurism?"

Nudge just stood blankly for a moment possibly confused by that word. "No, I mean a brain explosion! Come quickly!"

I followed Nudge into the wide-open expanse of what used to be the platform. There I saw Max hunched over, hands clutching her head, enveloped in extreme pain. I didn't know exactly what I was supposed to do, but I went over and tried to address the situation.

Iggy was kneeling in front of her already trying to help. "Where does it hurt?"

"My entire head!" Max said through clenched teeth. Not very useful information, like it would help her anyway.

I supported the back of her head with my left hand and gently lowered her to the hard wooden bench. I figured I needed a pillow or two so I looked around; nearby, stood a 4 year old boy who stared precariously at me from behind a pillar. "You, bring me some pillows." He nodded and sped off, a moment later returning with two red satin pillows that I couldn't help but wonder where they came from.

I placed the two under her head and tried to think of what to do next. Max groaned. "Are you okay, should I call Alexis?" I asked feverishly.

"No!" she cried.

Angel and Gazzy came running with some water and Fang placed a wet rag over her forehead before she fell unconscious.

"Max!" Nudge yelled.

**Max's POV**

I found myself looking up at six worried faces staring down at me. I was sweaty, hot, and my head still throbbed. Oh yeah… I passed out, great Max, way to concern everyone.

"Max are you okay?" Fang asked uncharacteristically worried. No, he cared about the Flock. He just usually didn't show it.

"I'm alright... now." It was the truth, my head still hurt but it felt better than before.

"So your brain isn't going to explode?" asked Gasman.

"No, Gasman it's not going to explode." What can I say? I was in pain.

"Or have an an... an... eurism?" Nudge tried to say.

"Aneurism?" I stared at her questionably.

"That's what she said." She gestured to Heal who shrugged her shoulders.

Iggy slapped a hand to his forehead. "We need to get out of here."

I nodded in agreement. "We need a plan."

"Why don't you ask Katalina?" Angel questioned.

_Yes, Maximum it is best you leave soon._


	27. Chapter 26 Collapse

**Chapter 26 Collapse  
**

_Hello Maximum, welcome to New York._

"Who said that?" I wondered aloud looking this way and that.

"What?" Iggy asked.

"A voice…"

_No, Maximum your voice._

My voice? I've officially lost it.

Lost what Maximum? Your sanity is still intact and you still have a world to save. I am here to help you. Here in my head? Thank you but no thank you. I didn't sign up for can't choose your destiny Maximum. It chooses you.

The Flock looked worried once again as I pushed it aside. "Let's hurry and get out of here."

I tried to sit up but was immediately overcome by the searing pain in my head. I fell back down, feeling defeated and totally useless. Great, I must be going crazy from pain.

"I think you should stay here until your headache is better," said Gazzy. "We'll find a way out."

"Will you be alright Max?" Angel worried. Her blue eyes were as large as dinner plates.

If wasn't for this headache, I'd probably be embracing her at this very moment.

"I'll be fine sweety." I reassured her.

She looked to the tracks and then back at me. "I'm going to get Alexis," and she ran off, without waiting for an answer.

"No wait!" I stood up again but was jerked back by the pain. _Why me?_

_Everything is a test Max._

Everything is a test… where have I heard that one before?

Just then I felt a trickle of water and dust fall on my face. What the?

Cracks began appearing on the ceiling and water began trickling through.

Everyone was looking up. Including the Wolves, who took off immediately scattering in all directions.

"I think that's our cue to leave," Fang said staring.

I nodded. "Let's move it!" I fell back in pain once more, bit I ignored it and managed to sit upright.

"What about Angel?" Nudge shouted.

"We'll find her, come on!" I have no idea where she went and I began shouting her name desperately amongst the chaos.

"Angel!" Despite my voice echoing on the tunnel walls it was lost in the crowd.

"Max!" Katalina ran up to us. Damien was beside her for an instant, before he zipped past us jumping over objects as he went.

"You need to get out of here before the ceiling collapses!"

"We can't find Angel!" Gasman cried "Where is she!?"

"I don't know, but I need to get my brother."

"Brother?"

"There's a door on the tunnel wall, deeper into the tunnel on your right. Take it and follow the pipelines it should lead you outside."

With that she took off running, and in an instant turned into a white beautiful wolf with short fur. Their transformation is way smoother than the Erasers.

Enough sight seeing Max, find Angel!

We ran all over looking for her and called her name so many times that my head was beginning to spin with panic.

_Patience is a virtue_ said the voice.

I don't have time for patience!

I suddenly felt short of breath and stopped to lean over to catch it. We had lost Angel again. If only I had grabbed her before she left. Screw up on the Max-o- Meter 100/10.

I pushed my blond soaked hair out of my face. Water was spraying from the tunnel walls now like rain. It would burst soon and then we'd all be underwater. Most of the wolves had already evacuated.

"Why does this always happen to me!" I kicked a puddle sending water everywhere. All I wanted was a normal life, but instead I had to be born a mutant freak and be constantly on the run from Erasers. I couldn't protect the Flock. I couldn't even save Angel the first time. I leaned down and held my aching head. I felt like giving up and that only made the tears come faster. I covered my face with my hands.

A comforting hand appeared on my shoulder. "This isn't your fault. None of this happened because you wanted it to," then Fang embraced me. I felt his warm arms around me as I leaned into his shoulder and gripped his shirt. My eyes felt hot and I rubbed the tears away. Don't cry Max… don't Cry.

"We'll find her Max. You didn't give up before and we're not giving up now." Then he gently pulled away hands still on my shoulders. "Come on, we'll find her together, all of us."

I looked into Fang's eyes remembering what we had been through. Breaking into the School. How we felt when Angel was captured in the strawberry field. The time Jeb had left us. The Flock has been through everything and Fang was always there to make me feel better.

"Yeah, let's go find her." Nudge held out her fist.

I turned to my Flock who had determined faces.

"We've been through so much already, we can't give up now," Iggy stacked his fist on top of hers.

"Yeah," Gasman added and did the same.

Fang and Heal stacked theirs too. "Come on Max."

"You guys…" When we're together nothing can stop us. I stacked mine and we tapped our hands together. "Let's go."


	28. Chapter 27 Noah's Arc

**Chapter 30 Noah's Arc  
**

"We've lost them."

"You've lost them, how?" The Director walked over to stare at the computer screen where grid was displayed with numerous locations, and where seven red blips should have been.

"They slipped off radar one minute and 16 seconds ago in an area just outside of New York city," said the traffic controller. "The area was abandoned 40 years ago. We don't have our usual tracking sources."

Were they on to her? No, they couldn't have known. 01 is smart though, its possible she could of led them there on purpose. If that were the case then this is bad.

Very bad.

SC

SC

SC

We continued our search deeper into the tunnel and stopped to ask any wolves we came across. Not that they were helpful. They just went on with their business gathering up whatever they could salvage.

"Where could she be? It's not like this tunnel has secret passageways or anything," Nudge cried in frustration.

Fang noted the puddles of water slowly forming around them. "We need to get out here soon."

I nodded. "I know, do you think she's escaped already?"

Iggy looked up bothered and disappointed that he couldn't be of much help. He didn't know how to navigate the tunnel and just when he seemed to get a hang of it he would trip over debris.

He had to stay close to the Flock and listen closely to the echo of their footsteps, which was becoming increasingly difficult due to the sound of rushing water and their own yelling.

Occasionally, he would brush someone's arm either for help or just out of reassurance they hadn't left him.

Once again, he was unable assist. He was hopeless just like the first time Angel was captured by the Erasers.

If only he wasn't blind! He clutched his fists out of anger and despair of what the White Coats had done to him, to all of them when a hand suddenly wrapped around his. He recognized it as Heal. "This way Iggy," she said as she led him through the tunnel.

Heal, she had a way of noticing things and knew how people felt. It was like she had her own power. She was always so kind and comforting, and yet she's a complete mystery. She never talks about herself and always shies away.

They'd all had bad pasts. Perhaps, hers was especially unforgiving.

_Still he couldn't help but realize she was shaking._

Suddenly, a loud shout echoed off the tunnel walls and Fang and Max looked to each other and ran.

"Max!" Angel emerged from a dark tunnel, and I enveloped her in a hug. "Baby, don't ever run off like that again."

"Sorry Max."

There was a small yip and I looked down to see a large puppy in her arms. I looked at it bewildered. "What's with the dog?"

"It's Damien's son," she said adjusting her grip.

Son? Did I hear that right?

"Damien is fighting right now and he told me to take him."

"Fighting who?" Fang asked suspiciously.

"An Eraser?" Gazzy added.

Angel shook her head. "Another wolf, not an Eraser."

"That's odd. I wonder why they're fighting each other," he wondered.

"Well, whatever the reason we need to get of here." I reminded everyone. "Remember, subway, collapse?"

Everyone nodded "Right." We moved out, taking the route Katalina had directed us to.

Things were getting even weirder. Another wolf? A puppy? Does that mean they give birth to dogs? Since when has my life ever been normal?

SC

SC

SC

**Damien's POV**

We stood upon an acrid battlefield, cracked and bruised by years of torment and solitude. What was heard overhead was an endless war of rainwater that had collected within the cracks of the iron supports, and rusted to nothing.

"Well, well Damien, I see your doing well." said the arrogant wolf who stood before me.

Lean and muscular with a dull brownish-coat, he failed to even closely resemble our coherent race. Truth be told, he wasn't even apart of it.

"How is it living in a subway tunnel alongside the rats?" he added. As usual, his language is deplorable.

"And what is it like to be all alone with no home to go to?" I countered through growling teeth. His face turned red with anger, and at once I knew I had touched a nerve.

"And what does it matter? At least I don't have orders to follow from a bunch of stink'n wolves who can't even think for themselves!"

This struck a nerve with me as well. How exactly can we not have leaders when we have wolves and people like him after us 24/7? With three leaders we were prepared for whatever might happen to one of us. Whether we're shot down or dead due to old age. We are advisers with special skills passed down from our recent ancestors. As an intellect I discover new ways to live and prosper. Mercello, a war veteran who can take charge during a battle that involves all of us. And Katalina, the peacekeeper. It saddens me how dimwitted he is.

"Your pathetic and paranoid. On the run all the time and hiding wherever you can find sanctity. There isn't such a world Damien and you know it." Skylar circled me shoulders hunched and teeth bared. "And that's why you kill them. Innocent people. At least I don't succumb to a such low life."

He's right. Completely. But it's his twisted reasoning that resulted in exile from his own pack. He believes in creating a new world made up of the good and rid of the bad, but there is no such thing. He's asking for a world without people.

He stopped and licked his lips. "Your new bird friends would make great assistants. Wouldn't you say? After all, I'm sure they have just as ill feelings seeing as they were tortured by the same race they belong to."

"I won't allow you to corrupt them!" I leaped at his throat, but he disappeared from within my view and before I knew it, I had my face planted on the ground.

"Getting rusty?"

"Sure, if you want to call it that!" I swiftly turned into my human form and twisted around in order to land a blow right in his stomach. He flinched as the wind was knocked out of him from the surprise attack, but was able to regain composure just soon enough to block the punch I was about to give him.

He was already in his human form, slim and muscular with unkempt wood colored brown hair, which was damp from the water. The scar on his chest was visible through his ragged shirt.

"Are you sure your up to it?" He sneered.

"What, do you think I'm too old to fight?"

I did a roundhouse kick and he jumped several feet in the air over it returning with his own kick right into my shoulder. I cringed but grabbed his leg to throw him into the wall. He transformed only to rebound off if it.

_Above them the ceiling was close to collapsing and large bits of concrete fell around the two as they fought. _

_The Flock had already found the passage lined with pipes that had burst and they covered their faces from the spray as they ran. Max held onto Damien's son protecting him from the water as he whimpered and shook._

"It looks like this is it," Skylar mused.

And just then it fell. The ceiling collapsed with such a great force that the entire area around them shook. A pool of water fell through at that moment, threatening to engulf them.

"For you it is," Damien leapt up the walls and falling debris, as rocketed himself through the water. The asphalt was slippery at the top, and he clawed it to desperately hang on.

Below him Skylar watched grinning, knowing he couldn't save himself.

"Good luck," he whispered before slipping under.

I dug my claws into the asphalt. I had to hang on for my son and Ivy, for the entire pack. I kicked my legs uselessly and gritted my teeth, ignoring the jagged edge of a metal support beam cutting painfully into my stomach, but I was slipping.

I closed my eyes, in anguish and just hanged there, exhausted.

When I felt strong arms help me up. I opened them to see Katalina and Mercello. They tugged my fur and I was gracefully to be back on solid ground. My beautiful mate Ivy stood with Lance in the background, and I ran over to embrace her.

"I'm so glad you're okay," she whispered.

"So am I, so am I…"


	29. Author's Note

**A/N: **The story is back. All Chapters have been rewritten. They have been made to fit with the original books. Such as, the Flock's house never burned down, which some people had a problem with. And also, all 30 chapters are still there some have just been combined with others.

Sorry it took longer than expected; between school, other writing projects, art instruction and, practice. There is no time to write, and there is lack of motivation…

Which leads me to this: I will no longer be updating the story every week. It produces choppy chapters and like I said. I don't have time. The story will still be updated, just not as often.


End file.
